CenterstageChicago.com Presents: Food

NYE 2010 Picks: Dinner

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 CST

Carnivale

Carnivale Includes a DJ, stilt walker, Samba dancers, a balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight at 702 W. Fulton St., Chicago. The menu features dishes from Central and South America, The Caribbean, Cuba and Spain. Reservations are highly recommended. 312.850.5005 or www.carnivalechicago.com New Year?s Eve at 33 Club 11 a.m. to midnight at 1419 N. Wells, Chicago. The bar will stay open until 2 a.m. The three-course, $33.95 per person prix fixe menu includes a champagne toast at midnight. Regular menu options will also be available. Reservations required. (312) 664-1419 Chicago Q 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. at 1160 N. Dearborn St., Chicago. For $59.75 per person, guests will enjoy a three-course menu including Smoked Diver Scallops; BBQ Black-Eyed Peas Salad with Red Bell Peppers and Creole Vinaigrette; Smoked Prime 18 oz. Porterhouse; and a Triple Chocolate Cake with Ganache and Gold Flakes. Reservations required. 312.642.1160 Chens Chinese and Sushi 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. at 3506 N. Clark St., Chicago. $50 per person for an authentic Chinese buffet, open bar, and party favors at midnight. 773.549.9100 or www.chenschicago.com

Looking for more bang for your buck? Check out more lavish New Year's Eve events.

More picks:
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Dinners | Concerts | Theater

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NYE 2010 Picks: Splurges

Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:00:00 CST

If you're going to choose one night of the year to go all out and not think about how much money you're spending, New Year's Eve is it. But we don't want to see you drop huge amounts of cash without getting something in return. Here are the top five events that should be worth their high price tags. Everest The Dom P�rignon Andy Warhol Tasting Menu will be available for $125 per person plus champagne pairings at 440 S. LaSalle St., Chicago. Everest's regular tasting menu also will be available for $125 per person plus wine pairings. Call 312-663-8920 for reservations and specifically request the Andy Warhol Tasting Menu. Odyssey Fireworks Dinner Cruise Board 8:30 p.m.; cruise from 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $219.90 per person Includes dinner of filet mignon and lobster, premium open bar, champagne toast, live entertainment and Navy Pier fireworks display. 866.273.2469 or www.spiritofchicago.com for reservations. Mystic Blue New Year?s Eve Fireworks Dinner Cruise Board 8:30 p.m.; cruise 9:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. $147.90 per person includes dinner buffet, premium open bar, champagne toast, a DJ and Navy Pier fireworks. For reservations, call 877.299.7783 or visit ww.mysticbluecruises.com

Looking for more bang for your buck? Check out more lavish New Year's Eve events.

More picks:
Kid-Friendly | Cheap Choices
Dinners | Concerts | Theater

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New Restaurants

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: Erica Walkup

Vincent

Stuck in a rut when it comes to eating out? Good thing the Chicago restaurant scene gets an injection of new life almost every week. Whether you want to know where to go tonight or what opening to mark on your calendar, our guide to fresh feasting spots has all the details you crave.

Have you visited a new restaurant lately? Tell us what you think. Looking for somewhere to wash it all down? Check out our list of brand-new bars.

Ready to Digest

Vincent goes Dutch
This quaint and cozy bistro is named for the one-eared painter who called the Netherlands home, and who may have eaten similar food to what is served here. Unlike other European cuisine, like French and Italian, Dutch fare still seems foreign to the average American diner. But even if you're not quite up for trying the pickled herring ? a sardine-like fish served with a shot of genever gin, onion and pickle to chase ? plenty of other dishes at Vincent will please any discerning palate.

BomBon Cake Gallery gets you more of the sweets you love
Mexican baker/starlet Laura Cid Perea is well known in Pilsen for her bunuelos and silky tres leches treats. She used her tenure as an executive pastry chef under Rick Bayless? Topolobampo and Frontera Grill to launch the original BomBon. And now she seeks to poach the downtown specialty cake set at this Ogilvie Transportation Center outpost of her BomBon line.

Upscale Vietnamese at Sawtooth Restaurant and Lounge
It's hard not to think of Argyle Street when sitting in the three-tiered, white leather glow of Sawtooth's Randolph row digs (the old Salthaus spot). Chicagoans used to pho in battered ceramic bowls, not ergonomic porcelain, will get a pleasant surprise.

Owen & Engine: An urban countryside
Find English pub favorites at this gastropub from the owners of Fat Willy's Rib Shack. From the farm-to-table eats to the velvet damask wallpaper, no detail goes unattended at this faux English countryside retreat, aside from the irony of the Burger King, movie theatre, funeral home and massive highway that surround it.

Donatella Mediterranean Bistro
Donatella Majore, owner of the now-closed La Cucina di Donatella, is back for more, opening this Mediterranean-inspired spot in Evanston. With soft lighting, ornamental tiles and hanging plants, it's a welcoming destination for a date night or just a dinner with friends.

The Brits are on to something at Pret a Manger
The lunch-hour Loop crowd might think a chain imported from England with a French name would be a stuffy, sit-down affair. But Pret A Manger means "ready to eat," and the fast-food speed with natural-leaning foods have won over many Brits. Offering a fast food-style layout with a Trader Joe's-like branding of everything they sell in the store, Pret is a simple take on high-end fast food.

Chikurin Sushi is a cut above
Wicker Park, with sushi joints on every corner, seems risky real estate for a beginner biz, but Chikurin (which translates to Bamboo Grove) one-ups the competition in all departments. Choose from sushi, Thai and other Asian specials in a small Wicker Park strip mall location.

Say 'Oui oui' to Henri
Executive Chef Dirk Flanigan cooks up French-inspired dishes at this South Loop spot, named for building designer Louis Henri Sullivan.

Eatt like a king
Brought to you by the people behind Rosebud, Eatt is a classic diner with a River North twist. The huge corner space ? which features red leather booths, dark wood floors and a decorative tile ceiling ? is somehow comforting and classy at the same time, a sensibility that also shines through on the large, eclectic menu.

Lillie's Q takes barbecue up a notch
Chef Charlie McKenna has made his name in high class establishments like Avenues and Tru, but Lilie's Q speaks to a part of his cooking arsenal developed long before those endeavors. Taking his family's BBQ tradition from the competition circuit into his own restaurant, the venue features some inventive peach-wood fired smokers that McKenna himself has helped adjust for exacting results.

Deca Restaurant + Bar
Dark wooden tables are well-spaced out and topped with white tablecloths at the Deca Restaurant and Bar, which is on the 12th floor of the Ritz Carlton hotel behind the Water Tower Place. Salads, soups, sandwiches and entrees fill the lunch menu, costing $9-$23. Light dance music pulses gently throughout the large room, which offers a view of the John Hancock building as well as a large, flowing water fountain in the middle of the room.

Kosher rules at Chalavi
This kosher spot serves up honest, home-cooked food to West Rogers Parkers. The space is set-up like a diner, catering in particular to families and offering up sandwiches, salads, pasta dishes and seafood. The place also delivers and caters.

Go Hollywood at Sprinkles Cupcakes
Fatten up during your shopping spree at this Beverly Hills-based dessert shop taking a spot just off the Mag Mile. Choose from a dozen or so flavors of 'cakes, which change regularly. Or grab a quick frosting shot to go.

Black Dog Gelato pushes the dessert envelope
essie Oloroso might have had a who's who of hip restaurant clients for her gelato, but she always wanted to have her own storefront. Now that she does, she's trying to push the limits of what you can expect from a place that only serves gelato-based treats. The flavors vary and change with the season, but a cup of gelato is $3.35, and a large is $4.75. The contents of that cup could be something standard like the Mexican hot chocolate or the orange cream. Then again, you might go out on a limb and get the avocado cinnamon or the red plum moscato sorbet.

Meditate on some fine food at Arami
In many ways, Arami is an exercise in contradiction ? sleek and earthy, gourmet and traditional, upscale and affordable. But while the Zen-like decor might give you the urge to meditate on these distinctions, instead just happily accept the authentic Japanese food in front of you.

Hot Off the Grill

Caffe Moderne
The second floor of the Art Institute's Modern Wing gets a new restaurant, taking the place of Balcony Cafe. Salads, sandwiches and paninis dominate the menu, run by the folks at Terzo Piano.

Mastro's Steakhouse
Upscale California steak chain opens in River North. Acre
Diverse American cuisine and craft beers in a new Andersonville brewpub.

Del Seoul
Barbecue tacos dominate the menu of this casual (and cheap!) Lincoln Park spot, specializing in Korean street food.

Laguardia's Cuban Bistro
The sister restaurant of Bucktown's Cafe Laguardia serves up authentic Cuban cuisine in an environment meant to resemble old Havana.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse
This high-end riverfront steakhouse caters to the Loop business dinner crowd.

Delia's Kitchen
The owners of Marilyn's in Morton Grove take over this friendly diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in the former Maple Tree spot in Oak Park. M. Henrietta
The folks behind M. Henry open this sister spot in Edgewater, adding a dinner menu to the options.

La Boulangerie
This Logan Square bakery serves up several types of bread, crepes and French pastries.

Sumo Grill
This Korean cafe in north Lakeview serves up classic dishes like bi bim bop.

Davanti Enoteca
The folks behind Mia Francesca open this spot right across the street in Little Italy. Expect a more toned-down (read: affordable) menu and a large Italian wine list.

M Burger (River North)
The popular burger joint opens up a new location, serving up a simple menu of burgers, chicken and a veggie sandwich called the "Nurse Betty."

Makisu
Sushi and sake on Division in the former Fuel space in Wicker Park.

Cafe 676
Casual dining outside the Omni Chicago Hotel.

Ukai Japanese Restaurant
Find traditional sushi rolls alongside local concoctions, like the Bears, Bulls, Cubs and Sox rolls at this Lakeview BYOB.

Nano Sushi
Find extra-large specialty sushi rolls at this North Center BYOB, which also serves nigiri and assorted Thai dishes.

Mac and Min's
Find New Orleans-style cuisine from the owners of Jerry's at this West Loop cafe.

Forever Yogurt
Scoop it yourself at this frozen yogurt spot in Wicker Park.

Stax Cafe
Breakfast (and lunch) is served at this Little Italy diner.

Still Cooking

Grahamwich
Famed local chef Graham Elliot Bowles opens his new project, a casual sandwich shop in River North, sometime this fall.

Deseo Mexican Cantina
The owners of Andersonville's La Donna are behind this Edgewater Mexican spot, set to open this fall.

Zapatista (Lincoln Park)
The popular South Loop Mexican spot plans a foray into Lincoln Park, in the former Emilio's, later this month

8
Argentine street food in West Town, coming this fall.

Masada
The owners of Sultan's Market open this Logan Square Middle Eastern sit-down eatery later this year.

Nick's Fishmarket Grill & Bar
The newest outpost of upscale seafoodery Nick's Fishmarket takes over the old Bluprint location in the Merchandise Mart in October.

Pasteur
The Vietnamese favorite plans to re-open after a three-year hiatus sometime in 2010. 'Ohana
The former Sola opens as this new Asian/Hawaiian spot in North Center sometime in November.

Big Bricks
Lincoln Park pizza spot Bricks plans to open a bigger location, with pit barbecue options, in North Center in late 2010. Ed Debevic's (Water Tower Place)
The popular diner known for its intentionally rude waitstaff plans to open a third area location in Water Tower Place on Michigan Avenue in November 2010. Next
The latest project from Alinea's Grant Achatz, which will offer quarterly menus based on specific places and times, will open sometime in 2010. We think.

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A Finer Smoke

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:00:00 CST

Lillie's Q chef Charlie McKenna.

When we look back on the culinary events of the second half of 2010, we will someday speak fondly of the "barbecue boom." A half-dozen or so 'cue joints have sprung up all over the north side of the city, with more in the planning stages, and all have their individual calling cards. This one does pastrami, this one does boutique BBQ, this one is just a pig orgy - but only one can claim a head chef that turned his back on the gleaming silverware and high-priced tickets of the fine dining world. Chef Charlie McKenna, formerly of Avenues and TRU, ditched the cloth napkins for the world of sticky fingers, smoked meats and paper towels when he opened Lillie's Q in the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. McKenna is no rookie pitmaster, though - he's been on the competitive barbecue circuit for years, runs another Lillie's in Florida and when we spoke, was fresh from a competition where he and his team took high places in both pork shoulder and whole hog cookin'. Despite a round-the-clock smoking cycle, we managed to pull him away from the 'cue to talk about his new venture and the local food scene. Was there any one thing that made you want to leave the world of fine dining? Or did you just think it was time to do something different?
I don't think there was any one thing. I really have a passion for barbecue, and it's just a more accessible food. I thought it was something I could do that was fun and exciting - and sometimes you think it's going to be less stress, but you still own a restaurant so there's still a lot of stress involved. But it's at a price point where people can come two or three times a week, as opposed to two or three times every two or three years. It's something where you're cooking more for the masses and getting a quality product out there that really exited me - it's a fun atmosphere that's more relaxed and it's more my style, I think. I'm just a good ol' boy from the South, you know?

It's interesting - in the world of fine dining, it's very a la minute and involves a lot of finesse. Barbecue requires hours of long smoking of patience where you don't do much to the meat. It's almost a polar opposite.
The thing that's nice about barbecue is that it's so technical - for cooking that long, you have to have your process down and what you're trying to accomplish with the meat. It's similar in that aspect to fine dining in that it's very technical and you really have to pay attention to what you're doing. There are some similarities, but yeah, cooking fine dining is a lot more a la minute in preparation than barbecue.

I know that competition barbecue isn't necessarily the same as restaurant barbecue. Coming from a competition background as well as a restaurant mindset, Is there a middle ground that you've found?
I try to do all my competition barbecue here. That's what I'm trying to provide to them is a competition-style barbecue to the masses. There's a lot more involved in competition - obviously you're doing a lot more processes to the meat, with injections and different rubs and different times that you're putting different rubs on the meat, which we do here at Lillie's Q. I think what helped me was I've been in fine dining and I've been in restaurants that have done large volume before, so I transferred that from the competition to the restaurant. And so far it seems to be going pretty good.

In terms of taste and what people present the judges in competitions, is there a difference between what competition and restaurant barbecue usually is?
Not really. If you think about competitions, and the judges that are at the competitions, the people who are judging these competitions are very normal regular guests who would eat at a regular restaurant - they're just passionate about barbecue. So they have a lot of their own ideas on what it should and shouldn't be. But I think the masses nowadays are so into food, and the Internet, and talking about food, and foodies and Food Networks - that it kinda translates a little bit. It seems like today everyone's a judge of every kind of food. Every restaurant they go to, they're trying to go home and Yelp about it, or create their own blog - there are similarities that way when you're trying to please a lot of people and deal with a quality product.

Barbecue can be an incredibly variable and hard-to-predict cuisine, whereas in fine dining, I'm sure they hammered consistency into your head as a sous chef. How have you adjusted those techniques to what you're doing now?
When you're doing the smoking, there is a lot of technicality involved, but like you said it's all about consistency. You start to learn your smoker, and learn the times, and learn where the hot spots are, and when you figure those things out you can put out a consistent product but it takes a little bit of time. That's why I only use smokers that I basically helped create and have used on the barbecue competition circuit for years. I knew how to control them, where they need to be for the airflow to go in, how many wood chips to put in at a certain time and when - that's what I gained from so many years on the competition circuit and transferred to the restaurant. I had those processes all worked out all ready. Here at Lillie's, we smoke 24 hours a day. Those smokers haven't been turned off since we opened 2 months ago. They're always running with product in 'em. Obviously you've gotta cook for more people, so we have to put more meat in and do it for a lot longer time - I have an overnight cook that I've taught the processes and how to run the smokers.

I know you have a barbecue trailer. Ever give any thought to a food truck a la Meatyballs or the Gaztro-Wagon?
We have thought about it. We're still in our beginning stages of seeing where we're at with the restaurant - we're so busy we haven't even started takeout yet. I would love to do some sort of traveling barbecue truck. The truck would probably just be the barbecue, none of the southern sides or dishes we do here at the restaurant. But I think it would be totally interesting to have a truck that travels around town and caters barbecue to people from different spots in the city.

The big thing in fine dining for a while was using offal and organ meats. Ever throw anything like that on the smoker?
I have not! It's basically been me sticking to the competition meats - ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, our tri-tip. But I still have interest in that stuff, and that comes from the fine dining where you use those products a lot and try to make them taste good, even though they?re butcher cuts or not as wanted cuts from different animals. So maybe in the future I might run something here and there off something from some of those menus - just to keep your interest perked for the clientele, and also to keep my interest as a chef growing and trying new things.

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We Need A New Gyro

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 12:00:00 CST

There's no shortage of gyros options in Chicago.

When CND Gyros in Streeterville closed down recently after three-plus decades of providing gyros and beers and being an oasis from the Mag Mile crowd, it was as though a living version of the mid-1970s was blipped out of existence. Along with the preserved-in-amber lounge, their special gyros melt, made with melted cheese and grilled onions on gyros between two pieces of thick toasted bread, disappeared as well. While nothing could replace CND, their gyros melt or the home-away-from-home feel of watching a ballgame there with an Old Style draft, fear not. Numerous other places around town distinguish themselves when it comes to that twirling cone of spiced lamb and beef. Here are a few examples of honoring the old tradition of gyros, as well as taking it to places it's never before been. Central Gyro
The old-school Greek diner style of restaurant in general is slowly going the way of CND, which is unfortunate, but still some examples remain. Perhaps the best is Central Gyro on the city's northwest side, where flaming cheese and taramosalata have their place on the seemingly endless menu of Greek specialties, but the multiple cones of always-twirling gyros is what's kept people coming back since 1979. For a true tour of Greece-via-Chicago, one of the combo plates is a must try. The gyros combo comes with the standard gyros/onion/tomato/pita with tzaziki, then goes above and beyond with souvlaki (pork tenderloin) and Greek sausage alongside a heaping handful of steak fries. Watching your figure? Order a gyros salad ... with a side of extra gyros meat, perhaps, and a pour of retsina or roditis wine alongside.

photo:

Try the duck gyros at Taxim.

Taxim
For as many Greek restaurants and gyros joints that populate the Chicago restaurant landscape, there's surprisingly little differentiation between them. Gyro meat is fairly standardized with just a few purveyors providing cones, and you have your standards like greek potatoes, egg lemon soup, moussaka and pasticcio. So when Taxim came on the scene and actually innovated with Greek cuisine, people sat up and took notice. For the purposes of this venue guide, we direct your attention to the gyros on the Taxim menu - created not with lamb, beef, veal or the like, but with duck breast and leg meat. Yes, duck gyros. When you can wrap your brain around that, we'll proceed. Ready? On we go. This artisan farm-sourced duck breast is spit roasted with pastourma spices and served with a mint-yogurt sauce. Somewhat standard, right? For the most part, it is, until you get to the pomegranate reduction alongside and the satz bread in place of the pita. Otherwise, you know, just your run of the mill duck gyros.

Greektown Gyros
The mantle for housemade gyros may belong to Parthenon, and the award for most gyros served might be owned by the Greek Islands, but when it comes to your quick and simple round-the-clock gyros sandwich in Greektown, that distinction goes directly to Greektown Gyros. When it's late at night and students from nearby UIC come wandering north on Halsted for some eats, where do they head? Greektown Gyros and their 24-hour outpost where you can get a gyros plate or a breakfast platter (or both) at 4 a.m. Ambrosia's, the attached bar, is open 'til practically all hours, and you can gorge yourself on booze, then stumble next door to soak up some of that beer with a nice bomb of grease and onion. Your breath will suffer, but your liver will thank you.

Cafe Orchid
The origins of the gyros in Chicago can (and forever shall) be argued about, while their culinary ancestor, the doner kebab, gets far less attention. While gyros are directly connected to the Greeks, Cafe Orchid in Lakeview quietly serves up Turkish doner kebab with a tantalizing mix of lamb and veal, as opposed to the normal combo of spiced lamb and beef. Other kebab such as kefte and chicken shish kebab are on the menu as well, but the doner and the adana - ground lamb with bell peppers and seasonings including mint - are the real attractions.

photo: Alicia Eler

Get your gyros fried at Evanston's Wiener and Still Champion.

Wiener and Still Champion
From the imagination of a man who plays a deep-fat fryer like Yo Yo Ma knows cello, Gus Paschalis of Evanston's Wiener and Still Champion has taken gyros to heights (or depths) rarely - if ever - seen among grease freaks. Imagine the fattiest, greasiest gyros you can conceive. Then think of something far, far worse for you. Consider if you will ... the Country Fried Gyros. Strips of gyro meat are coated in batter, then dipped in the fryer and served with a "Mediterranean cucumber" dipping sauce. And fries, too, in case you desire your starch fried as well. Whether or not this enhances the gyros experience or not doesn't matter - thoughts like that evaporate in a spatter of grease when country-frying gyros meat become rational. What kind of maniac would put this on a menu? The same one who would offer country fried bacon just above it, that's who.

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Matt Maroni

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: Matt Wood

Chef Matt Maroni serves naan-wiches out of his Gaztro-Wagon.

The paperwork for the Food Truck Ordinance has been presented to the Powers that Be and the wheels of government are turning, slowly but surely. Now it's chef Matt Maroni's job to put his money where his mouth is and prove that food trucks are not only viable, but workable even under the current ordinance. Beyond that, he's showing that "mobile food dispensers" (as described by the ordinance) are worth freeing from existing legislation. His Gaztro-Wagon, equal parts roving food truck and brick-and-mortar encampment on north Clark street, has proven popular enough to sell out of its product within a single lunch hour. In some places, Maroni reports that his signature naan-wiches sell out in just over a half hour at some of his most popular downtown stops. While the back channels of the City Council work over his ordinance, Maroni took some time to talk with Centerstage about the civic process, what the future of the Gaztro-Wagon could be, and just how far his ordinance could go. And if/when the ordinance passes, how long does Maroni actually plan on being the chef behind the wheel? As a chef, did you ever think you'd be this knowledgeable about the civic process?
Not a chance in hell. [laughs]

Based on that, you've probably learned a lot about the process of bringing something into law. Where does it stand at this point?
I approached the Chamber of Commerce with the idea - I used to work right above the chamber of commerce so I had some friends over there, and one of the girls that worked there lives right below me. So I brought her in and one of the other employees at the Chamber, and I was like, "Look, I need your guys' help. I need to find out what kind of processes I need to go through." So they set me up with the government relations guy over at the Chamber, and I said, "OK, I have this ordinance, I have it written," I had studied and researched it and it's pretty fair with what is written now for retail food establishments. We've had to go back and tweak it, but it just started out as a pipe dream to launch a food truck. And when I started looking at ordinances, I realized that there's not one. And I can stomp my feet, or put pen to paper and go after it that way.

When you announced chicagofoodtrucks.com, you started it anonymously and didn't do any press. What was behind your decision to do that?
It was to gauge interest, and it was also to have people talk about it and try to guess and play - I really intrigued a lot of people about it. A lot of people thought it was [former Lockwood chef] Phillip Foss for a long time. He's a food truck advocate and we met along the road because he had approached [Alderman Vi Daley], and I had the ordinance written ... we came together and I was like, "I'm getting ready to launch this website, help me get it out there?" So people jumped on it, and I can't tell you how many press inquiries I got. I was just like, "No. No. No. No." And it just kept building. I knew I had the ordinance written already, but nobody else did - that's kind of the reason why I did it anonymously. And I didn't have a name as a chef here in town, so it was part of my attack plan to start anonymously and come out with a splash.

Have you been surprised by the amount of support? What did you expect when you launched this?
The response has been incredible. Even now when I pull up to a location for lunch or dinner, I have people waiting on me. I knew it'd either blow up, or it'd flop, and there wasn't gonna be any in-between. Based on what we're doing out here with the truck under the current ordinances, and through my shop, I know it?s gonna be a big thing. We're still pushing to be the driving force for getting the ordinance done, and we're still working on that. That's one of the reasons I'm closed on Mondays - it's really the only day I take meetings. That day's pretty chock-full with doing stuff on the ordinance and talking with other people and getting our ducks in the row for when we get a chance to talk.

It seems that the fire behind moving the ordinance forward has slowed somewhat. What's the next step in the process, and what kind of behind the scenes wrangling is going on?
It's going to a joint committee of economic development and licensing. I approached [Alderman] Waguespack and that was on the advice of the Chamber of Commerce. They said, "Just talk to your alderman." So I reached out to them and they got right back to me. I threw it out as a food ordinance, and they were like, "Well, we need a little more information." So we traded some emails back and forth, as just something to chew on. A couple weeks later I had a meeting with him, and he said "We can take this to council tomorrow, and I can surprise everybody, or we can do this through the back channels and get everybody's feedback so we have a strong ordinance to go to council." [Then] they're aware of it, they know what's going on with it, they?ve seen it and they've touched it. We sent out more information on numbers and job creation and entrepreneurship. But the response has been incredible.

And after all that?
It's gotta go through committees first. That's the aldermen doing their business. If they want to talk to us, that's when they'll reach out to me and I'll take someone that builds trucks along with me, a lawyer that's been working with me on it and myself, and maybe another couple chefs in town. It's definitely got a lot of support - I have comments for or against, and probably 97 percent of the comments are positive and people are ready for it.

Enough about the law - onto the food. What will change on the Gaztro-Wagon as soon as the ordinance passes? Did you go into this assuming that it'd become law and you could adjust your menu at that point?
Absolutely. That's kind of working with my interpretation of naan, that acts as a barrier to hold heat and the ingredients together. Once the legislation is passed, I'll go back and we can add hot components and cold components. I was going to assemble on the truck, and when they came out to inspect they said, "It?s gotta be pre-packaged. You can't assemble anything." I said, "Even if I?m dumping things into a container?" They said, "Nope." So, OK, I've seen it done out on the streets, but I?m not going to push the bar. The things that we're creating right now, they hold up. Because we go in such a quick format and we're selling out so quick, the quality could be better if we had hot and cold components, but what we're doing right now was written for the ordinance the way it stands right now.

The naan-wich is working for you now, but are you married to it? Or is there a chance we'll see you re-concept sooner or later?
Well, yeah, I'll probably do different concepts down the road. But since I have such a unique niche right now, and I'm the first one out there. Once the ordinance passes there'll be a lot more out there, and that's what I hope to see - but there's only going to be one first one. you know? And that will always be with me. At the end of the day, I'll be the Food Truck Guy of Chicago. [To self:] You're Abe Froman? Yes, I?m Abe Froman. [laughs] It's an opportunity for me to capitalize off of, and that's kinda the way I've set it up. I worked hard and diligently on it, to get it done before anybody else did. There are other people out there working on them, I know that for sure, but I'm one of those people who will stop at nothing to get it done and be out there and be the leader in it. Without outing anyone, how many people do you know have plans for a food truck right now? And how many do you think would enter the market when it's possible to do so?
I've talked to many people, and it's all about finding the money to do it. Of course, an established restaurant [or] a big chef will have the wherewithal to do it. A restaurant company that has multiple concepts - they have the wherewithal to do it. But a lot of people are just waiting to see how the ordinance pans out before they start dropping money into things like that. It's a risk, because it's still up to the City Council. I'm running under what I can do just to open people's eyes in Chicago to what a food truck can be. Somebody had to be the martyr - might as well be me. [laughs] In addition to being the Food Truck Guy, have you considered going into consulting?
Oh yeah - that's where the money's at! [laughs] Like I've told a few people, if you see me standing behind a griddle or in a food truck in a year, there's something wrong. I have bigger plans down the road, too, but I'm just focused on my business now. I'm always working on new things and new ideas and going from there, but since I am the tip of the spear it'll be easy for me to wrangle up money to do other concepts. With my truck now, I'm already in the black. But I've gotta keep that afloat first and foremost, because even if you're the leader, and it goes "poof" - you never know, the truck could break down for a week and I'm out thousands of dollars. There's a flip side to being out of commission - where others might only have one truck in the future, you could have a whole fleet of them.
I have the contacts now that, if this ordinance goes through, I know who to go through, who to talk to, and nobody else probably has the research that I've done. I get requests all the time, like "Hey, I want to open a food truck." Great! Do you work in a restaurant? Have you ever worked in a kitchen? No? Get your ass in a kitchen. It's not easy - it's as demanding if not more demanding than running a restaurant. And that's no easy task. Doing the two of them together, you have to be able to manage and have trust in other people that things are being done properly. I have a great staff, I have a staff of eight, I take care of them and they take care of me. And there's only so many people that actually build the trucks - you're certainly first in line for them as well.
There's really only a couple companies here in the Midwest that do 'em. There's not enough cities in the Midwest that allow them. I've gotten reached out to, for the ordinance part of it, from Boston, to Detroit, to Sacramento, to Boulder, Colo., to Columbia, Mo., and even a town in Brazil. The guy in Brazil, I shot it to him and said, "Have fun translating it into Portuguese!" I don?t even know where to start with that! It's been great, and it's been a great response, and how far it travels and goes from there has been humbling. I'm just gonna continue rolling the way it needs to.

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You're Eating What?

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:00:00 CST

Pineapple coleslaw at El's Kitchen.

Chicago has such a vibrant, diverse variety of cultures and exciting foods around town, and that means that many foods sound peculiar, odd, adventurous, bold and funky but still taste good. Try one of the dishes from these spots, like vinegar pie, pineapple coleslaw and sesame fig chocolate chip gelato, and you just might agree.

El's Kitchen ? Pineapple coleslaw
Coleslaw can be boring and plain, but it gets dressed up at El?s. Creamy-like pineapple coleslaw adds a zing of flavor that goes perfectly with the grilled chicken club sandwich or a barbecue brisket sandwich. Manager Ellen Haran came up with the idea of pineapple coleslaw, and chef Sirino Bautista fine-tuned the recipe. "I wanted it to be a little light and not a heavy, mayonnaise-y type but not a vinegary type either, so it?s kind of in the middle," Haran said, adding they must have tried about 50 times before they nailed the recipe to her liking. Haran said the response has been "very good. ... I had a lady today, she said, 'Wow! What is the flavor?' She couldn't figure it out and [after Haran told her, the woman] said 'Oh, yeah!' "

Hoosier Mama Pie Company ? Vinegar pie
We'll eat just about anything in our pie, but vinegar? It might sound like a turnoff, but try the vinegar chess pie at the Green City Market (1750 N. Clark St.), and you?ll be coming back for more and be bummin? if they are out of it. The pie filling bursts with butter and sweetness with a smooth, slightly chewy consistency, accompanied by a flaky, homemade crust. "We bake seasonally, so right now in the summer, we can't keep up with all the fruit," says Hoosier Mama Pie chef/founder Paula Haney. "It's actually stressful trying to make sure that we get all of the wonderful fruit and flavors used before they go away for the winter. About January and February, we start running out of stuff, as you would have, say, in a farm somewhere in the Midwest if you were out there growing your own food." Haney and her fellow employees started going through old cookbooks and came across recipes for vinegar chess pies, which she said originated in old England. She said that the first week that Hoosier Mama Pie had the vinegar pie for sale at Green City Market, people said, "You gotta be kidding me," but then they would try samples and say how amazing the pie is. Hoosier Mama Pie also makes lemon chess and chocolate chess pies.

photo: Mary Susan Littlepage

Paciugo ? Black pepper olive oil gelato
The gelato chain also offers intriguing flavors like chai, green tea cheesecake and black pepper olive oil at its Lakeview and Lincoln Square locations. Marlena Irizarry, a manager of the Lakeview location, said when Ani Poddar (who owns both Chicago Paciugo shops) first tried the black pepper olive oil at a Madison, Wis., Paciugo shop, it was love at first taste. Irizarry said that many customers try the black pepper olive oil. "I usually get people to try it by saying that it?s the owner?s favorite flavor,? she said. ?The olive oil is very subtle at the beginning, and then toward the end you get the spicy kick of the black pepper." A lot of people like it, she said, "But some people say it's strange and it?s weird. We get a lot of mixed reviews, but most people generally say they like it but that they wouldn?t want to have a whole lot of it." Irizarry likes to pair the black pepper olive oil gelato with panna cotta gelato or fondente gelato because she said the flavor combination tastes like cake icing or chocolate mousse. "It just kind of blends really well together," she said.

photo: Mary Susan Littlepage

Cucumber and peanut butter bagel at Einstein Bros.

Einstein Bros. ? Cucumber and peanut butter bagel sandwich
At first, the cucumber-and-peanut butter combo might sound icky. It tastes way better than it sounds, though ? really. A toasted bagel sandwich offers just the right combination of crunchy creaminess from the peanut butter and slight sweetness from the cucumbers.

Catering, Chocolate ? Lavender ice cream
Lavender is good for potpourri, the invigorating Thymes shower gel and ? ice cream? Yep, it's true: Rich, creamy and decadent, the lavender ice cream wows at Catering, Chocolate's gourmet chocolate and gourmet food shop in Old Town. In fact, the first time the kitchen staff made a batch of the stuff, employees enjoyed the lavender ice cream so much that only a few pints made it to the refrigerator for customers.

Black Dog Gelato ? Sesame fig chocolate chip gelato
Black Dog offers a number of bold, adventurous flavor combinations, including the addictive sesame fig chocolate chip gelato. It's well worth the 10- or 15-minute wait in line, as the gelato ripples with awesome flavor, providing a salty-sweet combo and tasty crunch from the chocolate chips. Bleeding Heart Bakery ? Corn and peach cupcakes
This has to rank high on the list of things you would never expect to go together, but the folks at Bleeding Heart make it work. Chunks of peaches and corn kernels are mixed into the cupcakes, which are topped with icing and corn kernels.

Twisted Sister Bakery ? Potato chip cookies
While the cookies at this Old Town might sound annoyingly salty and crunchy, the chips are chopped to tiny bits that are mixed well, and the cookies turn into tasty, perfectly crispy treats topped with powder sugar.

English ? Lobster mac and cheese
It might sound a little funky, but "Top Chef" alum Radhika Desai?s rich, gooey lobster and white truffle mac and cheese impresses with tasty chunks of lobster mixed with parmesan and cheddar pasta topped with panko bread crumbs.

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One-Note Wonders

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 12:00:00 CST

While some restaurants are known for their variety, lately many places have cropped up that specialize in one tantalizing offering. Of course, hot dog stands, burger joints and pizza parlors are the norm, but those are no longer the only treats deemed worthy of the spotlight. Whether you're craving crepes, cookies or cold cuts, you'll find what you're looking for at one of these hot spots ? without a massive menu coming between you and your goal.

Crepes
The whimsical Crepes a Latte The Cafe in North Center has every kind of crepe imaginable, from breakfast crepes like egg and cheese and crumbled blueberry muffin, to savory options like baked brie and apples and honey-glazed ham, to dessert favorites like Nutella banana and caramel apple pie.
Also try: La Creperie, Crepe Crave

Pork
Without a doubt, 2010 is the year of the pig. With restaurants like The Publican and Old Town Social setting the stage, this year brought us even more pork-centric eateries, the latest being Avondale's Pork Shoppe. Pig out on baby back ribs, pulled pork shoulder and pork belly pastrami, all sourced from local farms.
Also try: The Purple Pig, The Piggery

Bagels
Chains like Einstein Bros. and Great American Bagel have specialized in this carb-laden treat for decades, but Bagel on Damen in Ukranian Village is stepping it up a notch with bagels from Lincolnwood's famed New York Bagel & Bialy, inventive shmears like white truffle and toasted pine nut, and bagel sandwiches like The Alexander the Great ? with turkey, bacon, gouda, Granny Smith apples, avocado and Russian dressing.

Gelato
Lines are still forming at the new Black Dog Gelato shop, which attracted a following at restaurants like Uncommon Ground and Socca. The shop serves unique flavors such as Mexican hot chocolate and goat cheese cashew caramel, plus gelato cookie sandwiches and the famed whiskey gelato bar ? whiskey gelato on a stick covered in chocolate and bacon.
Also try: Paciugo, Bellezza Gelato Caffe

Frozen Yogurt
Forever Yogurt, a glittery, neon-colored Wicker Park fro yo shop, lets visitors make their own sweet treats. Start with your choice of flavors ? like cookies and cream, red velvet cake or mom?s cake batter ? and pile on as many toppings as your heart desires, ranging from fresh berries to candy pieces to breakfast cereals.
Also try: FreshBerry, Yogen Fruz

Cupcakes
The cupcake craze rages on with the addition of growing chain Sprinkles Cupcakes to the Gold Coast. Claiming to be the world's first cupcake bakery, Sprinkles? treats can be identified by the edible sugar polka dot on top that tells you which flavor it is.
Also try: more, Molly?s Cupcakes, Flirty Cupcakes (truck) Turkey
Pork isn't the only white meat in town. The South Side's Just Turkey is proud to serve many variations of the Thanksgiving staple, from turkey ribs to jerk turkey burgers to deep-fried turkey wings. Not enough turkey for you? Add a side of turkey bacon or turkey spaghetti.

French Fries
While Rockit, Hot Doug's and Five Guys are known for their delectable french fries, they still play a supporting role to the main event. At Frietkoten at the Chicago French Market, the hand-cut Belgian-style fries take center stage, served in a paper cone with your choice of 20 dipping sauces.

Pie
After earning street cred at Green City Market and local coffee shops, Hoosier Mama Pie Company opened its own shop in Ukrainian Village earlier this year. Available by the slice or whole pie, mouth-watering options range from classic apple, cherry and banana cream pies to savory selections like chicken pot pie and various quiches.

Cookies
It was only a matter of time before another baked good tried to usurp the cupcake throne. Lincoln Park's Cookie Bar has at least 18 kinds of cookies daily, ranging from snickerdoodle to potato chip chocolate chip to vegan chai. Compare their gelato cookie sandwiches to those at Black Dog.

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Musical Accompaniments

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:00:00 CST

Forget pork, cupcakes and even taco trucks. The next big Chicago food trend won't necessarily be about what's on the plate, but what's on the soundtrack. Music and food pairings have been gaining steam in the city, from the recent "Sound Opinions" dinner at Blackbird to Graham Elliot's installation as "food czar" at Lollapalooza. There's no better place to take the plunge than at the Taste of Chicago (June 25-July 4), where tunes and tastes are daily battling for attendees' attention. Here are some one-two punches to consider at the 30th annual event.

Salt 'n' Pepa
Friday, June 25, 5:30 p.m.; Petrillo Music Shell
This one is almost too easy, what with all the salt-laden snacks and peppery plates available at the Taste. But we're going to take a slightly different route when it comes to these queens of '90s hip-hop, and march right up to Original Rainbow Cone (Booth #38) to cool things down. There may not be any "Shoop"-approved "yum-yum chocolate chip honey dip" on the menu, but the cookie dough should come close enough. For those fans of the other old-school acts on display today, we recommend Polo Cafe & Catering's (#33) pair of petite grilled steak sirloin sandwiches (because, as Rob Base knows, it takes two to make a meal go right) and Garrett's (#53) mixed nuts (are we the only ones who see a strong resemblance between Slick Rick and Mr. Peanut?). For Bell Biv Devoe, you can pick your poison.

Gavin Rossdale
Saturday, June 26, 5:30 p.m.; Petrillo Music Shell
You may not have realized it when you were singing along to "Machinehead" in 7th grade, but the former Bush lead singer is a proud British citizen. Even though he's well accustomed to the pleasures of America ? including his lovely wife, Gwen Stefani ?at this point, he probably misses the tastes of his homeland every now and then, and Abbey Pub's fish and chips (Booth #11) are as good as it gets at the Taste (we're still waiting for the black pudding booth). As a bonus, the fat-free ice cream bar served up by this vendor could very likely contain some glycerine, a known thickening agent.

Los Lobos/Los Lonely Boys
Tuesday, June 29, 5:30 p.m.; Petrillo Music Shell
You've got a few different Mexican options to choose from for munching on during this double dose of Latin rock, but only one of them truly fits the bill: La Justicia (Booth #3), the Little Village spot known not only for its authentic enchiladas, tacos and fajitas but for its raucous live-music sessions on Friday nights. We could see either of these bands on stage at one these parties, and having a bit of the restaurant's classic fare in hand will make the big show feel that much more intimate. This is all assuming, of course, that you aren't able to smuggle a "big as your head" La Bamba burrito into Grant Park.

Rob Thomas
Friday, July 2, 5:30 p.m.; Petrillo Music Shell
You could be forgiven for thinking it's still the mid-'90s, what with all the nostalgia acts filling the Petrillo Shell stage thus far. But Thomas has actually accomplished much beyond his chart-topping role as lead singer of Matchbox Twenty ? like the time he played Sinbad's rehab roommate on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia." No, seriously ; the guy has been honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and continues to burn up the adult contemporary charts. In honor of his 2009 hit, "Give Me the Meltdown" (and not at all based on the cheesiness of his music), we suggest indulging in one of the many pizza options at the fest, whether it's Bacino's (Booth #10), Connie's (#40), Doreen's (#16), Home Run Inn (#25), Lou Malnati's (#32), or Reggio's (#37).

Steve Miller Band
Saturday, July 3, 3 p.m.: Petrillo Music Shell
All the pickers, grinners, lovers and sinners who set up shop in lawn chairs for this one will crave a treat that'll take them back to the days when "Fly Like An Eagle" didn't conjure up images of U.S. Postal Service commercials, and rhyming "taxes" with "facts is" was considered cool. We can't promise that BJ's Market & Bakery's peach cobbler (Booth #27) will do that, exactly, but we can't think of any midnight tokers who would turn down a portion of the stuff. A few bites, and you'll be looking for a tree to shake.

Passion Pit
Sunday, July 4, noon; Petrillo Music Shell
The biggest surprise of the festival lineup, this Massachusetts electronic pop act deserves an equally surprising accompaniment. Contenders include Garrett's Popcornsicle (Booth #53, cool last year) and Sabor Latino's (#36) pork-filled banana dumpling, but the Bissap sorbet from newcomer Iyanze (#2) is our choice. The frozen hibiscus leaf tea topped with a dash of whip cream will provide the cooling fuel you need to dance through the high-energy performance, without any greasiness weighing you down. If you think you can handle it, and want to pay tribute to supporting soul/gospel/jam act Robert Randolph & the Family Band, the equally eyebrow-raising collard-green egg rolls at C'est Si Bon (#21) will hit the spot.

Side dishes (at the Illinois Lottery Taste Stage):
The Yolks (June 26, 5:20 p.m.): This local act updates classic, ?60s-style rock and R&B ? kind of like Vermilion (#6) brings a fresh take to a Fest standard with its grilled Tandoori turkey leg.

Joe Walega Happy Hearts Orchestra (June 28, noon): Nothing makes a heart happier than a Maxwell Polish sausage from Bobak Sausage Company (#1). Just keep in mind that you'll be heading right back here for a bacon-wrapped German frankfurter when Die Musikmeisters play at 2:40 p.m.

The Heavy (July 3, 4 p.m.): To pay tribute to the English neo-soul/rock act's oversize name, here?s the most decadent menu item we could find this year: Cheese fries topped with bacon and sour cream from Home Run Inn (#25).

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Bread Pudding Revival

Mon, 17 May 2010 12:00:00 CST

Bread pudding French toast at Prairie Grass.

What if it were socially acceptable to eat your favorite dessert for breakfast? If that dessert is chocolate cake or ice cream, you're probably out of luck. But if you find yourself ordering bread pudding every time the dessert menu comes, look no further than these Chicago-area restaurants. From booze-infused desserts to sweet and savory breakfast items, you can satisfy your bread pudding craving any way ? and any time ? you want.

Bread pudding French toast at Prairie Grass Cafe and The Bristol
There are two types of brunch people in the world: savory lovers and sweet tooths. For the latter, there's the decadent bread pudding French toast at Prairie Grass in Northbrook. Chef/owner Sarah Stegner says the dish ($10) is made with pecan cinnamon coffee cake that is cut into pieces and baked with custard. Once cool, it is sliced and saut�ed until the outside is golden brown and served with warm maple syrup. For city dwellers, the dessert-like bread pudding French toast at The Bristol features dried apricots, bourbon-spiked whipped cream and syrup from Spence Farm in Fairbury, Ill. ($10).

Savory bread pudding at Xoco
Early risers are in for a treat at Rick Bayless' Xoco. One of the stars of the casual Mexican eatery's breakfast menu is the savory bread pudding ($3.50), only served until 10 a.m. Made with migas (the interiors of the bread used for the tortas), the dish starts with a custard base combined with house-cured ham from Maple Creek Farm in Michigan, artisan jack cheese and poblano peppers. Topped with bacon crumbles, the pudding is baked until soft and moist and garnished with queso a�ejo and cilantro. Best of all, the dish is small enough that you'll still have room for a couple of Xoco's mouthwatering churros.

PB&J Wonder Bread pudding at Hearty
In keeping with their style of turning classic comfort foods into modern masterpieces, the Hearty Boys recently reintroduced a peanut butter and jelly bread pudding to their dessert menu. Made in muffin tins, the dish starts with Wonder bread, sweet egg custard, peanut butter maple cream, cream cheese custard and a black pepper and red wine strawberry jam. After baking, it is served with salty peanut cream and syrah syrup for $8. If you're lucky, you may also get to try the butternut squash bread-pudding appetizer (with truffled Havarti fondue and a grilled veggie skewer), which is sometimes offered as a special.

Pi�a colada bread pudding at Coobah
This popular Southport Corridor restaurant puts a Latin twist on all of its dishes and cocktails, and dessert is no exception. Served warm in a square baking dish, Coobah's pi�a colada bread pudding ($7) is flavored with spiced pineapple, coconut cream and Bacardi coconut rum. Topped with toasted coconut ice cream and a fresh strawberry, the result is fruity, satisfying ? and the perfect size for two. Take your indulgence even further with a cappuccino, glass of Spanish wine or the restaurant's signature mojito.

Porter bread pudding at Fountainhead
For a restaurant with more than two-dozen beers on tap, it's no wonder that some of it has ended up in the dessert. For $7, the porter bread pudding at this new Ravenswood hot spot starts with rye, French and sourdough bread from nearby La Farine Bakery, which gets soaked in eggs, heavy cream and Left Hand Black Jack Porter from Longmont, Colo.'s Left Hand Brewing Co. In case one beer wasn't enough, the unique dessert also features a caramel sauce made with Three Floyds' Robert The Bruce Scottish Ale. Executive chef Robyn Marfurt recommends any porter, IPA or stout to complement this beer-lovers' treat.

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More Morels, Please

Tue, 11 May 2010 12:00:00 CST

Smoky. Nutty. Hints of cream. These are just some of the alluring flavors that characterize the morel mushroom, a staple of spring menus across the city. The honeycomb-shaped delicacies start popping up mid-April in golden hues, darkening to a bark-brown peak in May before they bid palates goodbye mid-June, making the hunt just as fun as the feast. Here's how some Chicago kitchens are celebrating the short-lived season.

photo: Gavin Paul

Green Zebra
The executive chef of this white-tablecloth vegetarian temple, Molly Harrison, is a mushroom fanatic with a secondary soft spot for asparagus. She shows that love by pureeing white spears, stuffing them into into a farm egg raviolo and topping things off with saut�ed, salt-kissed morels to bring out "a nice woodsy component to go with the sweetness." Sprinkled strips of sorrel help the dish ($12) finish with a little citrus zing.

photo: Gavin Paul

Chilam Balam Cocina Mexicana
Twenty-three year-old former Rick Bayless protege, Chuy Valencia, is a fan of "big chunks in his food" over at his new farm-to-table Spanish spot in Lakeview. He's digging the versatility of the morel, both grilling and braising pinky-size caps to single-chop and toss with a malty Michoacan pasilla sauce and pop in corn masa gordita pockets ($9.95). Expect a smoky taste-bud party until the bed of parsnip and red onion farmer's slaw cools things down.

photo: Gavin Paul

Anteprima
Chef Carlos Ysaguirre takes more of a minimalist route at this Andersonville spot, putting quarter-bunches of morels in company with their royal trumpet and hen of the woods brethren, letting them "speak for themselves" in his wild mushroom cartoccio ($10). It's all baked in a parchment pouch with a little olive oil, knob onions and white wine, then cut tableside and served with a sage leaf and sprig of thyme for texture.

photo: Elizabeth Lynch

Gage
Chef Dirk Flanigan's traditional salt, butter and pepper treatment starts with thumb-size ("unless you're Michael Jordan") 'shrooms with a texture that makes you "feel like you're doing something wrong" when you bite into them. The chef then adds in a poached Swan Creek duck egg, toothsome Nichols Farm peas and chunks of aged L'Amuse gouda to round it out with a caramel sweet-salt balance ($13).

photo: Gavin Paul

Nightwood
Down in Pilsen at Lula Cafe's sister spot, Jason Vincent and crew are playing with a "mix-and-match puzzle" of sorts, concentrating on a morel ragu that took an entire day and two pounds of 'shrooms to break down into a traditional veal-stock demi-glace, thickened with a little green garlic and red wine. One night, you might catch it in an interesting warm form, blanketing strips of veal tenderloin in a garlic aioli and mustard green-dressed carpaccio ($12), whereas "tomorrow, who knows where it's going to go," teases Jason of the restaurant's daily changing menu.

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Mother's Day in Chicago

Fri, 07 May 2010 12:00:00 CST

Treat Mom right with a Mother's Day brunch.

While there's nothing like a home-cooked meal from Mom, it's never really the same when you try your hand in the kitchen. Spare everyone the embarrassment of burnt toast and runny eggs and take the family to one of these Mother's Day brunches, dinners or other events. It may not be breakfast in bed, but at least it's edible.

More Mother's Day: Gift ideas | Great bakeries

33 Club
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $30, $12 for kids 8 and under
Enjoy a three-course brunch at this Old Town restaurant including options like silver-dollar blueberry pancakes, eggs benedict and red velvet cake. Kids get to choose from a special menu.

Aja
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; $35
The special three-course menu at this Dana Hotel & Spa restaurant includes char siu pork buns; tomato salad with blood orange confit, green chili and Thai basil; grilled shrimp Cobb salad with Japanese ranch dressing; eggs benedict and more.

Ann Sather
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
The Belmont and Andersonville locations of this Swedish-American favorite will serve up special Mother's Day dinners ($17.95, $10.95 for children 12 and under) including a choice of baked ham with fruit glaze and sweet potatoes, roast turkey with celery-sage stuffing, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce, roasted leg of lamb with mint jelly and mashed potatoes, beef tenderloin with grilled mushrooms and mashed potatoes and fresh spinach lasagna. All meals come with homemade breads, tossed salad, fresh asparagus and dessert (apple or pecan pie).

Balsan
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $38
You'll get your money's worth with the three-course brunch menu at this Elysian Hotel restaurant - even if you don't eat. That's because every Mom who dines here will get a complimentary $50 gift card good toward any 60-minute treatment in the hotel spa. The menu includes homemade doughnuts with strawberry preserves and creme fraiche; goat cheese and truffle preserves omelet with french fries; and Balsan's signature Paris Brest dessert.

Ben Pao
Bring the whole family to try the Group Share menu; for $18.95 per person, you'll get to choose three appetizers, three main dishes, a side and rice, with unlimited refills on entrees like black-peppered sea scallops, penang curry chicken, kung pao beef and more. The a la carte menu is also available. Each mother will receive a gift including a pail full of fortune cookies and a gift certificate for a future visit.

Bin 36
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $38, $19 for kids 4-12
Chef John Caputo will fill the buffet tables with breakfast favorites, roasted meats, salads, artisanal cheeses, salumi, desserts and more. Try the drink flights for an additional $12.50 (bloody mary, mimosa) and $3.50 for kids (milk, juice).

Birch River Grill
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $31.95, $13.95 for kids 4-10
The buffet at this Arlington Heights restaurant features a seafood station, made-to-order omelets and waffles, a carving station, entrees like chicken picatta and pasta with asparagus and sundried tomatoes, salad, muffins, croissants and much, much more. A Kidz buffet with all the foods the little ones love will be available, and adults can load up at the bloody mary bar for an additional $6.95 per drink.

Brasserie Jo
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
You won't have to worry about the kids staying entertained at this French restaurant. In addition to a special kids brunch menu, there will be complimentary activities (games, crafts, DVDs, etc.) in the Salon area. So you can enjoy your traditional French brunch in peace.

C-House
6 p.m.; $38, $15 for kids five and older
Chef Nicole Pedersen has brought her own Mom in from Texas to help prepare a special family-style (in the true sense of the word) dinner. The three-course meal will be preceded by passed hors d'ouevres and including pan-fried walleye with wild ramps, radishes, sorrel and aioli; roasted chicken with asparagus, morels, spinach and red potatoes; and assorted desserts including Auntie Margaret's Lemon Pie, Grandma Elma's Rhubarb Bars and Mom's Favorite Cookies.

Cafe des Architectes
10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; $55 adults, $25 kids 5-12
The four-course brunch menu here includes choices like buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, bittersweet chocolate and rhubarb compote; spring broccoli veloute with black truffle butter, homemade brioche and goat cheese; slow-poached farm eggs with piperade, prosciutto and tomato foam; and salted caramel chocolate cake. A children's menu will also be available.

Carlucci (Downers Grove)
11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Stop into this suburban Italian favorite for an a la carte brunch complete with entertainment from a magician and a cupcake cart with make-your-own cupcakes for kids.

Carnivale
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Chef Mark Mendez offers a menu of brunch specials including chilaquiles with tomatillo salsa, tortilla strips, chicken and fried organic egg ($12) and french toast with vanilla butter, local honey and fresh fruit ($12). Moms will receive a $15 gift certificate valid for their next visit.

Chen's
Moms eat free on Sunday (limit one per table) at this Wrigleyville Chinese and sushi restaurant.

Chicago Joe's
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The first 100 moms to visit the 50-plus-item brunch buffet (everything from French toast to quiche to ribs) at this bar and restaurant will get a free daisy. Chicago Joe's is also hosting an essay contest (topic: "Why Mom is the best"), with the winner getting a four-person brunch and four movie tickets. One-page entries can be given to a server or dropped off/mailed to the bar (attn: 'Joe Mama') by Mother's Day, and the winner will be announced on Monday, May 10.

Citizen Bar
Brunch dishes will be half-price for all mothers on Sunday, with a complimentary mimosa added on for each guest of honor.

CityGate Grille
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $34, $12 for kids 12 and under
Head to this Naperville restaurant (at I-88 and Route 59) for a celebratory Mother's Day brunch buffet from executive chef David Sapp. If you want to let Mom sleep in, the restaurant will also offer a special dinner menu from 5-9 p.m.

Courtright's
11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; $49-$55 (kids $29)
Three- and four-course menus will be available all day at this Willow Springs restaurant, with options including herb-marinated king fish with grilled pineapple, jicama, red onion and grapefruit medley; cauliflower-Parmesan soup with bacon foam; grilled Duroc pork chop with roasted Russian fingerling potatoes, chorizo, snap peas and pork jus; and Grand Marnier-marinated strawberries with a chocolate waffle and Chantilly cream. A children's menu will be available.

Custom House Tavern
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; $32, $15 for kids 12 and under
Chef Aaron Deal and pastry chef Bryce Caron offer a three-course menu with choices including She crab bisque with Carolina Coast blue crab and sherry; Wagyu beef sirloin 'grillade' style with fried farm egg, yellow corn grits; and Meyer lemon tart with market strawberries and basil.

David Burke's Primehouse
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $23
Chef Rick Gresh's Brunch in a Box menu gets a special addition with a Mother's Day box featuring a potato benedict nest with diced ham and a poached egg, house-smoked salmon caesar salad with crispy capers, buttermilk fried chicken drumsticks with cabbage slaw and a double lobster (baby lobster bisque and angry lobster dumpling with lemon).

Davis Street Fishmarket
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29.95, $9.95 for kids 6-10
It's a seafood feast at this Evanston spot, with selections including blackened mahi mahi with Cajun cream sauce, steamed mussels, shrimp ceviche and more - along with traditional breakfast items, carved ham, turkey and roast tenderloin, soups and salads and desserts.

Dawali
$25
The three-course prix-fixe menu here includes your choice of house soup or salad; braised lamb shank, pan-seared salmon or stuffed cornish game hen for an entree; and pistachio-crusted molten chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream and raspberry coulis or a house dessert. A soft drink is included and reservations are required (though the deal is also available for carryout customers).

Deleece
The regular menu will be available at this Lakeview neighborhood favorite, but keep an eye out for specials like a frittata with morel, asparagus, spring garllic and truffled ricotta ($13) and a lobster, fennel, wild mushroom and gruyer quiche ($15). Each Mom will get an edible flower garnish on her plate.

Deleece Grill Pub
Enjoy specials like baked eggs in pastry crusts with bacon bechamel and green bean salad ($11) and a trout Nova lox plate ($13) in addition to the regular menu. Moms will get an edible flower, too.

Dine
9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; $39, $15 for kids 5-12
Enjoy a carving station, build-your-own omelets, lunch entrees like stuffed chicken marsala and beef stir-fry, pasta and more at this West Loop restaurant. There will also be a Kids Station available with mac 'n' cheese, chicken tenders, cheese pizza and more.

Duke's Alehouse and Kitchen
Still looking for a gift? If Mom's a pushover, the flower and $10 gift certificate she gets at Duke's could do the trick. And kids can create cards at the table while enjoying the a la carte menu or taking advantage of the create-your-own omelet station with pancakes, sausage, bacon and fruit ($10 adults, $6 kids).

Dunlays on Clark
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
In addition to its regular brunch menu, this Lincoln Park restaurant will offer a free dessert buffet for moms ($10 for all other guests), as well as $7 glasses of Demoiselle Rose Champagne. Moms will also get free flowers.

Dunlays on the Square
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
The Logan Square spot adds to its regular brunch menu with special selections like the Boulevard Breakfast Quiche with sausage, onions and bacon and the crab cake benedict.

Durty Nellie's
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
In addition to the $5 create-your-own omelet station and the signature bloody mary flights ($8), this Palatine bar will offer each Mom a complimentary mimosa and a $10 gift card for a future visit. The a la carte brunch menu will also be available.

Eve
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; $40
Enjoy a three-course brunch including choices like grilled rabbit sausage with chorizo-potato hash and Gumballhead beer cheese; puree of asparagus soup with Meyer lemon crema and Parmesan pine-nut tuile; and cured salmon benedict with poached eggs, caramelized fennel and bearnaise sauce.

Francesca's Fiore
An Italian brunch buffet will be offered at the Forest Park location of this mini-chain. For $35.95 ($14.95 for kids), you'll enjoy a carving station, omelet station, pancakes, fresh fruit and more (including a mimosa for adults). A la carte brunch options will be available at all other Francesca's locations.

Gage
The special holiday brunch menu at this Michigan Avenue bistro includes sweet oatmeal pancakes with coconut, bananas and chocolate, a duck confit omelet with caramelized onions and goat cheese, and rainbow trout with brussels sprouts, pearl onions, red wine-infused barley and bacon emulsion. The regular menu will also be available.

Gemini Bistro
5-9 p.m.; $40
Taking Mom out for dinner instead? Consider this Lincoln Park French restaurant, where Jason Paskewitz's three-course menu includes choices like lobster gnocchi, filet of beef with Bordelaise sauce and a key lime tart. Taittinger Domaine Carneros Brut Rose sparkling wine will be available for $10 a glass or $40 per bottle.Gibsons Steakhouse Rosemont
10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. seatings; $85
The all-inclusive Mother's Day brunch features prime rib, roasted salmon, honey baked ham, turkey, a sushi station, an omelet station, a quesadilla station, pastries, salume and fresh salads as well as unlimited bloody marys and mimosas.

Glen Prairie
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29, $12 for kids 5-12
The Glen Ellyn restaurant replaces its regular menu with a brunch buffet featuring salads (the grilled vegetable salad with herb and balsamic glaze sounds good), house-baked pastries, made-to-order omelets, broiled tilapia, sage-roasted turkey breast with cranberry citrus relish and more. Kids can load up on french toast sticks, chicken nuggets, french bread pizzas and more.

Grand Station Restaurant & Cocktails
9 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29.95, $14.95 for kids 5-12
The Arlington Heights restaurant offers a brunch including carved prime rib and roasted pork loin, shrimp and seafood, made-to-order omelets, a sweets tables, complimentary mimosas and more.

Hearty
5-9 p.m.; $30
Take Mom out for a three-course dinner featuring choices of appetizer (soup of the day, house salad or relish tray), entree (lingonberry-stuffed veal meatballs, chicken and dumplings, campfire fish) and dessert (PB&J Wonder Bread pudding, strawberry-rhubarb cobbler or cake of the week). Moms will receive a $15 gift certificate good for use at Hearty's brunch.

HUB 51
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $30, $15 for kids 5-12
The Mother's Day brunch here features items like smoked salmon, short ribs benedict, Belgian waffles, bacon and even a full sushi bar. Access to the roaming mimosa and bloody mary carts is available for an additional $6 per drink.

Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House (Naperville)
$45; $15 for kids 4-12
The Champagne brunch here includes a carving station with pork tenderloin and turkey breast, an omelet station, a buffet line with french toast, fruit, shrimp cocktail and other classics, desserts, bloody mary and mimosa stations and more.

Italiasia
11 a.m.-8 p.m.; $18.95 adults, $11.95 kids 12 and under
Highlights of this all-day buffet at the Holiday Inn Mart Plaza include Atlantic salmon with miso glaze, Mediterranean salad and of course, the full dessert table.

Jam
Here's to you, Mom: The popular breakfast and lunch spot is waiving its no-reservatiosn policy (indoor tables only) for Mother's Day.

Karma
10 a.m.-4 p.m.; $27.95, $12.95 for kids 5-12
Enjoy a full buffet at this Mundelein restaurant, including traditional breakfast items and a carving station as well as specialties like Asian BBQ seared salmon with braised bok choy, spinach and mushrooms.

Kinzie Chophouse
2-9 p.m.
How's this for a freebie: every Mom who dines at this River North eatery on Sunday will receive a complimentary bottle of champagne on her way out the door.

Kitchen Chicago
10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; $75
Reserve a spot in this special Mother's Day cooking class (limited to 40 guests) and you'll make and eat dishes including a crostini of fava beans, mint and shaved pecorino, chorizo and potato Spanish tortilla bites, little gratins of spinach and parmesan, miniature ham and gruyere croque monsieur sandwiches, buckwheat blini with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and chives, pancetta-wrapped dried plums filled with blue cheese with balsamic-honey glaze and mini sour cream and raspberry coffee cakes with brown sugar-pecan topping.

Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29.95
The four-course menu here includes suitably stunning choices like beignets and chicken and waffles, and comes complete with unlimited mimosas and bloody martinis. Kit Kat Diva Madam X will perform show tunes and Broadway hits.

Koi
Moms eat free on Sunday (one per table) at this Evanston sushi restaurant.

Lillstreet Art Center
1-6 p.m.; $80
Bring Mom to this Ravenswood art center, where you'll learn to create glass beads that can be strung into necklaces, bracelets and earrings. All materials are included - 16 and up.

Lobby Lounge (ShowPlace Icon Theatre)
Taking Mom to a movie on Sunday? Stop off for a bacon and egg pizza frittata ($13) and a bloody mary or mimosa ($6) at Jerry Kleiner's lounge in the new South Loop luxury cinema.

Lockwood
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $55 adults, $45 seniors, $25 for kids 6-12
Chefs from Lockwood and the Palmer House Hilton join forces for a buffet including items like smoked mackerel, trout and salmon, grilled shrimp, local and imported cheeses, carved prime rib, pan-seared duck tangerine, butternut squash ravioli and more.

The Lucky Monk
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Every mom gets a free mimosa at this South Barrington bar and restaurant. The a la carte breakfast menu includes items like quiche with herb roasted potatoes, french toast, pancakes and more.

Luxbar
Bring Mom to brunch at this Gold Coast bar and she'll get a complimentary mimosa with her dish.

Macello Ristorante
$35
Not only can you get three-courses of Puglia, Italy-inspired fare at this West Loop Warehouse District restaurant, but the special Mother's Day menu includes a complimentary prosecco mimosa for each guest. Choices include grilled shrimp over rapini, lamb chops al forno and an assortment of gelato flavors.

Markethouse
11 a.m.-2 p.m.; $35, $15 for kids 10 and under
The brunch buffet at this Doubletree Hotel restaurnt includes cream cheese and snipped chive-stuffed pancakes with applewood smoked bacon, honey cayenne-mopped chicken with fingerling potatoes and whtie cheddar mac & cheese gratin, plus an array of desserts including warm butterscotch bread pudding.

Meson Sabika (Naperville)
10 a.m.-7 p.m.; $38.95, $14.95 for kids 7-14
The Mother's Day buffet at this Naperville Spanish restaurant includes tapas, paella, a carved prime rib station and an outdoor grilling station if weather permits.

Morton's of Chicago
$59
All six area steakhouse locations will offer a special meal including your choice of salad, entree (including filet mignon, broiled salmon filet, shrimp Alexander and chicken Christopher) potato and vegetable and dessert (creme brulee or double chocolate mousse).

Mystic Blue Cruises
11:30 a.m. or 3:30 p.m.; $54.90-$64.90 (kids 3-12 are half-price)
Head out to the lake for a special cruise with Mom. You can choose between brunch (featuring omelets, roasted brisket and more) and early dinner (featuring turkey Wellington, seafood boats and more) buffet options. DJs will entertain, and reservations are required.

Nana
Chef Guy Meikle's special Mother's Day menu includes items like orange and agave honey cinnamon rolls with yellow raisins and acai berries; fresh seedling farms blueberry beignets with capriole farm goat cheese and peppercress; and laughing bird shrimp and morel mushroom crepes with fava beans, roasted spring onions and spicy shrimp cream. O'Donovan's
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $15.95, $7.95 for kids under 11
In addition to the regular buffet selections, this North Center bar and restaurant will offer special items like mini quiches, grilled tilapia with a citrus crust and homemade pineapple bread pudding. Wash it all down with $6 White Trash mimosas, $6.50 Fat Marys, $6 peach or mango bellinis and $8 domestic pitchers.

Odyssey Cruises
10 a.m., 1:30 p.m. or 6 p.m.; $64.90-$79.90 (kids 3-12 are half-price)
Head out to the lake for a special cruise with Mom. You can choose from an early or late brunch buffet (featuring made-to-order Belgian waffles, a chocolate fountain, black pepper-crusted sirloin and more) or an elegant plated dinner affair (featuring beef short ribs, shrimp and scallop melange and more). DJs will entertain, and reservations are required.

one sixtyblue
11 a.m.-2 p.m.; $39
The West Loop restaurant opens its doors (it's usually closed on Sundays) for a special three-course brunch including courses like key lime vegan Caesar salad, flat iron steak with potato hash, asparagus and horseradish red-wine, and strawberry panna cotta with rhubarb, basil and ginger streusel. A $12 waffle bar will also be available for kids 12 and under.

Pete Miller's
10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; $39.95, $9.95 for kids 6-10
The jazz brunch at this Evanston standby features a carving station, seafood, pasta, breakfast, dessert and soup and salad tables. The same deal applies at the Wheeling location as well.

Petterino's
If you're taking Mom to a play for Mother's Day, consider a pre- or post-show meal at this classic restaurant, which offers a complimentary flower and $25 gift certificate to all motherly diners.

Pinstripes
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $26, $12 for kids 6-12
The Northbrook and South Barrington locations of this bowling/bocce/bistro complex will offer a Mother's Day buffet featuring a create-your-own omelet station, carved prime rib, Belgian waffles, a chocolate fountain and more (including a complimentary mimosa for adults and free flowers for moms). Kids get a special buffet with mac 'n' cheese, chicken fingers, pizza and more.

Prairie Fire
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; $42, $16 for kids under 10
Enjoy a three-course brunch featuring your choice of appetizer (Yogi with rhubarb compote and fresh strawberries; pea shoot tendril salad; mushroom soup; Caesar salad), entree (peekytoe crab benedict; crispy chicken schnitzel; Parmesan-crusted tilapia; ancho-marinated skirt steak) and dessert (double chocolate cake; homemade ice cream with fresh berries; banana cream pie). Kids get their own menu featuring all the foods they love.

Prairie Grass Cafe
9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; $42, $15 for kids 10 and under
Start out with a plated eggs benedict with poached eggs, spinach and roasted tomato hollandaise, then head up to the buffet for made-to-order omelets, waffles and crepes, carved New York strip loin, shepherd's pie, double chocolate cupcakes, raspberry cream pie and more.

RB Grille
Chef Christopher McCoy's special a la carte menu includes choices like brioche French toast and eggs benedict florentine, and best of all, it'll be available all day ('til 11 p.m.).

Rockit Bar & Grill
You'll enjoy special brunch items at both the River North and Wrigleyville locations including asparagus and shaved prosciutto with citrus butter ($10), a frittata with spring peas, roasted bell peppers, potatoes and swiss ($10) and soft-shell crab salad with heirloom tomatoes ($16).

Salute Wine Bar
All lunch and dinner menu items at this Italian wine bar will be half-price on Mother's Day, including specialties like the speck and arugula pizze, saffron risotta and filet mignon carpaccio. Moms will also get a complimentary mimosa and a rose to go.

Sam & Harry's Steakhouse
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $39, $15 for kids 6-11
The huge buffet at this Schaumburg restaurant includes grilled lamb chops, pan-roasted Alaskan halibut and beef Wellington, and the price includes mimosas. The Mother's Day Pancake Play Date is also an option (starting at $25); kids can create a customized pancake creation while Mom dines.

Seasons
11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. seatings; $105, $25 for kids 5-12
This luxurious Four Seasons hotel restaurant features a buffet with a seafood and sushi station, Midwest station, Asian station, salads, made-to-order omelets, waffles and a wide array of fancy desserts like creme brulee and panna cotta.

Sepia
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $39, $20 for kids under 12
Start with family-style servings of house-made granola, Caesar salad, shrimp ceviche, cheese blintzes and assorted pastries, then choose an entree (choices included cider-braised pork belly hash with poached eggs and arugula and baked french toast with caramel mascarpone and blackberry compote). You'll end your meal with family-style desserts including a raspberry citrus tart, white chocolate-vanilla pound cake and orange-milk chocolate mousse with hazelnut crunch.

Shaw's Crab House
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Head to the Chicago or Schaumburg location for a buffet including make-your-own omelets and waffles, a carving station, a seafood bar, a sweet table and more. All moms will receive a $25 gift certificate for a future visit.

Signature Room at the 95th
9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, $40; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday, $65, $25 for kids under 8
You'll find two ways to celebrate at this Hancock Tower restaurant. On Saturday, the two-course Bellini Breakfast includes choices like asparagus salad with crispy prosciutto and vanilla french toast (plus a bellini or mimosa, of course). On Sunday, the brunch buffet features chef-prepared omelets, chilled shrimp, crab and oysters, honey-glazed ham, New York strip loin and more. The Bill Peterson Trio provides live jazz.

Sixteen
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; $115, $25 for kids under eight
The lavish Mother's Day buffet at this Trump Hotel restaurant includes sushi, omelet, charcuterie, pastry and children's stations, with items like seared halibut with pea puree and pea shoot salad; a forest mushroom salad with haricot vert, goat cheese and truffle and ham and prime rib. Mothers will receive gift bags.

sola
The first 150 moms to dine at this North Center favorite on Mother's Day will get a C.O. Bigelow gift bag including tons of beauty products.

Spirit of Chicago
11:30 a.m. or 3 p.m.; $59.50-$69.90 (kids 3-12 are half-price)
Head out to the lake for a special cruise with Mom. You can choose between brunch (a buffet with bacon, pastries, mimosas and more) and early dinner (another buffet with toasted couscous salad, tilapia and more) options. DJs will entertain, and reservations are required.

Steve's Deli
Mothers who dine at this deli on Sunday will receive a complimentary homemade cupcake to share with their offspring.

photo: Ben Rubenstein

Sunda doesn't fool around when it comes to bloody additions.

Sunda
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
The River North New Asian restaurant picked a big day to kick off its brunch service, with a wide variety of specials including the "Loco Moco" (hamburger steak topped with brown gravy and fried eggs over steamed rice, $12), the oxtail and potato "smash" (hash, fried eggs and horseradish creme, $13), lunch items like the chicken banh mi and crispy salmon salad, plus sushi, sashimi and more. Also, make sure to try a bloody mary - the selection of fixins at the bar (pictured) is out of control.

SushiSamba Rio
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
The special Mother's Day brunch menu offered at this River North favorite includes linguica and eggs ($12), a Japanese mushroom torta ($14) and a $12 Mother's Day dessert assortment.

Tapas Valencia
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-9 p.m.; adults $29.95, kids 7-14 $12.95
The special Mother's Day buffet at this South Loop Spanish restaurant features paella, prime rib and more.

Vie
2-6:45 p.m.; $55, kids 11 and under pay their age
Chef Paul Virant offers a three-course meal with optional $15 wine pairings on Mother's Day. Choices include gnocchi with bacon, sweet peas and spring onions; fried chicken and waffles; and a rhubarb galette with goat's milk yogurt ice cream.

Wave
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $35, kids 12 and under pay their age
There'll be plenty to keep you busy at this "interactive" brunch buffet featuring a bananas Foster station, a customizable salad station, a decorate-your-own cupcake stand, a bloody mary and mimosa bar and more. An a la carte menu with items like biscuits and gravy, huevos rancheros and beer-brined fried chicken will also be available.

Zest
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $49, $20 for kids
You'll enjoy brunch stations galore, from cold appetizers (citric couscous, snow crab salad) to hot entrees (grilled veal medallions, greek flatbread) to fresh sushi and sashimi. Of course, there will be lots of desserts, too. Adults get a complimentary mimosa and there will be a kids station.

Zocalo
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $22, 412 for kids 12 and under
The festive three-course brunch here includes dishes like guacamole, tacos, French toast, steak and eggs and more (you get a choice of an appetizer, entree and dessert). A special kids menu will be available, and all moms get complimentary mimosas.

Zullo's (French Market)
Saturday, May 8
Bring your mom to lunch a day early at this Italian vendor in the Chicago French Market, and she'll get a $1 off her meal.

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Get Juiced

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:00:00 CST

Too warm for hot chocolate, still a little chilly for shakes...what's a good springtime drink? Juice, of course! Go out on a limb and try one of these to liven up your brunch routine.

photo: Anne Royston

A taste of honey at Meli
True to its name, Greektown's Meli includes honey in many of its juices, and judging by the signs on the walls, the stuff's probably from Greece. Traditional juice blends (if celery, apple, and carrot can be called traditional) are offset by sweeter choices that are akin to smoothies. The orange, banana, strawberry and honey is thick and substantial, with a golden layer of honey at the bottom providing most of the sweetness. If you prefer a drink with more zing, try the white cabbage, wheat grass, kiwi, mango, strawberry and honey. The kiwi and wheat grass make a tangy pair, while the other fruits and veggies fill out the flavor. Top that off with artful presentation and a sunny atmosphere, and you're as close as they come to Mediterranean in the Windy City.

photo: Anne Royston

Exotic concoctions at Karyn's Fresh Corner
This raw food-focused Lincoln Park cafe is the original outpost of the Karyn's trio, which also includes Karyn's Cooked and Karyn's on Green. Prices are high, but the fruit and veggie combinations are not to be taken lightly. Those who need an injection of pure veggies might want to go for the Peaceful Warrior, a mixture of carrot, kale, spinach, cucumber and celery. But if "juice" means ?sweet? to you, Karyn's has some good things going on with lemon, like the Summer Cooler (carrot, apple, and lemon) and the disconcertingly named Blood (apple, beet, lemon, and ginger). The Cooler's carrot blends well in a thick juice that leaves a curiously citrusy aftertaste. Blood is less sweet, smoother, and its omnipresent beet taste sits underneath the more common apple, lemon and ginger. Even without any additional ingredients, these are surprisingly filling juices; that raw vegan lemon square may have to wait 'til next time.

photo: Anne Royston

Extraordinary orange juices at Over Easy Cafe
Beloved brunch spot Over Easy, near Lincoln Square, doesn't believe in keeping it simple. Its creative flair is more than apparent in blueberry pancakes filled with granola, cannoli French toast, and the infamous chorizo-potato-cheddar-etcetera Sassy Eggs. It even extends to the orange juice, which doesn't stop at fresh-squeezed. Why drink plain old OJ when you could get yours "freckled" with tiny strawberry specks or blackberry puree? Sweet and tart at once, the strawberry is the clear winner, but the blackberry holds its own, too. Add in Julius Meinl coffee and immaculate service, and you've got yourself anything but an ordinary breakfast.

photo: Anne Royston

Keep it chill at Kopi Cafe
In a world where Starbucks-style corporate minimalism rules the roast - excuse us, the roost - Kopi brings a much-needed breath of earthiness to the cafe scene. Billing itself as a "traveler's cafe," this Andersonville mainstay has been offering a variety of teas (yes, you can get your yerba mate here), hummus-filled sandwiches and vegan treats for years. In the juice category, the Dr. Pucker offers a straight-to-the-brain lemon freeze, more tart than sugary (hey, it's in the name), with a layer of crushed slushy ice on top. There's also Gilligan's Lemonade, which provides a sweet counterpoint with a mix of coconut and fresh-squeezed lemonade. In true Kopi fashion, the coconut avoids that fake-sunscreen taste, warming up the coolness of the lemon. After a long Chicago winter, kicking back with one of these lemonades and cracking the spine on a Lonely Planet guide might be just the thing.

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Chicago Farmers' Markets

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00:00 CST

Travelers make pit stops for sweet corn along the road for a reason: The foreign allure of the fresh-from-the-vine fruits and vegetables. Luckily, your urban veggie experience isn't restricted to chain shopping, and it certainly doesn't require a car (just a backpack or strong biceps). Chicago offers a bevy of long-standing markets that bring the best of the farm to your neighborhood.

Expect a solid dose of Americana?rhubarb, basil, flowers and homemade breads?and expect to pay a bit more. You won't see 99-cent containers of strawberries, but you won't see rotting, pale red berries either. You'll want to get up with the roosters, too. Most markets open at 7 a.m. and call it quits by mid-afternoon. Though a complete roster of Chicago farmers markets follows, here are our favorite weekend ones...because we work, too: Check out the big mamma-jamma at Green City Market
Truly a family of local producers, farmers, restaurateurs and chefs, Green City Market is open on Saturdays, too (hallelujah). Past producers include Red Hen Bakery, Herbally Yours and Nichols Farm & Orchard, which always boasts a staggering number of strawberry varieties. You'll also find herbs, heirloom tomatoes, organic free-range chicken, gourmet vinegars and a mean crepes stand that uses fillings gleaned from neighboring booths. Learn how to prepare your food with the 10:30 a.m. cooking demo; participating chefs have included Rick Bayless of Frontera Grill and Gale Gand of Tru. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday and Saturday; May 12-Oct. 30. Get veggies on the North Side at Edgewater Green Market
There's no need to trek downtown for organic produce. This weekly farmers' market is stocked with fruits and veggies, compliments of Kings Hill Farm Cooperative and True Nature Foods. You'll also find jams, flowers, honey and breads from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin. In the past, Soul Cafe has sold fair-trade coffee to help rouse early risers, while Soothe Your Senses presented bath salts, eye tea and massage oil to wind down your day with. Additional specialty vendors participate on the third Saturday of each month. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; late June-late October. Brunch at Lula, then shop at Logan Square Farmers' Market
What started as a bi-weekly market in 2005 has already jumped to a weekly one, and it's a farm-centric gathering worth supporting. Held at the intersection of Logan & Milwaukee, this is an easy market for Wicker Park/Bucktown residents to get to. Once there you'll find produce from City Farm, organic bread and pastries from Golden Rise Bakery, flowers from D&K Farms and M's Organic vegetables, flowers, canned goods and soaps. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday; June-October. Shop like Frank would at Oak Park Farmers' Market
What better time than summer to take a jaunt to the Frank Lloyd Wright-heavy village of Oak Park? And what better way to return than laden with fresh veggies? Offering locally grown produce in a setting that heralds back to those early Arts & Crafts days, the "gastronomic event" comes complete with bluegrass tunes, the scent of freshly-made old-fashioned cake donuts, produce, traditional and unusual flowers and plants, artisanal cheeses, honey, vinegars, herbs and more. A bag check area lets you temporarily set down your load while you enjoy other local goodies. 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; May 22-October 30. Take a weekend drive to Northfield Farmers' Market
Rainy Saturday got you down? Hop in the car and take a trip to Northfield, where you'll reap vitamin-filled rewards thanks to the town's rain-or-shine farmers market. In addition to seasonal, locally grown fruits and vegetables, you'll find Wisconsin cheeses, maple syrup, honey, just-from-the-oven breads, herbal soaps and fresh cut flowers. 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; May 29-October 23. Check out our full list of area markets:

Mondays

Country Side Farmers Market, at 55th & East (La Grange)
8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday; May 10-Oct. 25

Tuesdays

City Farm Heirloom Tomato Stand, at Clybourn and Division
3-6 p.m.; August 21-Oct. 16

Federal Plaza Farmers Market, at Adams and Dearborn
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; May 11-Oct. 26

Lincoln Square Farmers Market, at Lincoln, Leland and Western
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 8-Oct. 26

Museum of Contemporary Art Farmers Market, at Chicago and Mies van der Rohe Way
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 8-Oct. 26

Prudential Plaza Farmers Market, at Lake and Beaubien Court
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 8-Oct. 26

Wednesdays

Andersonville Farmers Market, Clark & Berwyn
3-8 p.m.; June 23-Oct. 6

Avondale Farmers Market, at Whipple and School
3-6 p.m.; June 23-Nov. 10 Wednesdays (not every week)
Chatham Farmers Market, 87th and Langley
9 a.m.-2 p.m.; July 14-Sep. 29

City Farm Heirloom Tomato Stand, at Clybourn and Division
3-6 p.m.; August 21-Oct. 16

Elk Grove Village Farmers Market, Wellington and Biesterfield
7 a.m.-2 p.m.; June 2-Sep. 29

Elmhurst Farmers Market, 105 E. Vallette
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 2-Oct. 27

Gately/Pullman Farmers Market, at 111th and Cottage Grove
7 a.m.-2 p.m.; early June-late Oct.

Grayslake Farmers Market, 149 Center
3-7 p.m.; April 7-Dec. 15

Green City Market, 1750 N. Clark
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 12-Oct. 30

Lawndale Farmers Market, at Central Park and Ogden
3-7 p.m.; July 7-Oct. 13

Oak Lawn Farmers Market, 9446 Raymond
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 2-Oct. 13

South Shore Farmers Market, at 70th and Jeffery
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 9-Oct. 27

Thursdays

City Farm Heirloom Tomato Stand, at Clybourn and Division
3-6 p.m.; August 21-Oct. 16

Daley Plaza Farmers Market, at Washington & Dearborn
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; May 13-Oct. 14

DeKalb Farmers Market, at 2nd and Locust
noon-6 p.m.; June 3-Sept. 30

Dunning-Eli's/Wright College Farmers Market, at Montrose and Forest Preserve Avenue
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 7-Oct. 28

Englewood Farmers Market, at 63rd and Halsted
9 a.m.-2 p.m.; June 24-Nov. 25

Hyde Park Farmers Market, at 3424 Edwards
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 3-Oct. 28

LaGrange Park Farmers Market, at Harris and Sixth
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 13-Oct.28

The Park at Jackson and Wacker
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; June-Oct.

Willis Tower Farmers Market, at 233 S. Wacker
7 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 17-Oct. 28

Fridays

City Farm Heirloom Tomato Stand, at Clybourn and Division
3-6 p.m.; August 21-Oct. 16

Farmer Friday Farmers Market, at 1401 W. Devon
4-8 p.m.; June 4-August 27

Fox Valley Farmers Market, 840 N. State (Elgin)
11 a.m.-6 p.m.; June 4-Sept. 24

St. Charles Farmers Market, 307 Cedar
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 4-Oct. 29

Orland Park Farmers Market, 14700 S. Ravinia
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 4-Oct. 1

Saturdays

61st Street Farmers Market, at 61st and Blackstone
9 a.m.-2 p.m.; May 15-Oct. 30

Austin Farmers Market, at Madison and Central
7 a.m.-noon; July 10-Oct. 16

Avondale Farmers Market, at Sacramento and Belmont
9 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 26-Nov. 13 Saturdays (not every week)

Bronzeville Farmers Market, at E. 44th and Cottage Grove
8 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 5-Oct. 30

Conuco Farmers Market, at 2626 W. Division
9 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 19-Oct. 16

Crystal Lake Farmers Market, 70 E. Woodstock
8 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 5-Oct. 16

Downtown Downers Grove Market, 5001 Main
7 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; May 8-Oct. 16

Eden Place Farmers Market, 43rd and Shields
8 a.m.-3 p.m.; May 29-Sep. 25

Edgewater Green Market, 6034 N. Broadway
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June-Oct.

Evanston Farmers Market, at University and Oak
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 8-Nov. 6

Grayslake Farmers Market, 149 Center
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; April 3-Dec. 18

Green City Market, 1750 N. Clark
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 12-Oct. 30

Lincoln Park Farmers Market, at Armitage and Orchard
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 15-Oct. 30

Morgan Park Farmers Market, at 92nd and Ashland
7 a.m.-2 p.m.; June-Oct.

Morton Grove Farmers Market, 8930 Waukegan
7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; May 29-Oct. 16

Naperville Farmers Market, 200 E. 5th
7 a.m.-noon; June 5-Oct. 30

Near North Farmers Market, at Division and Dearborn
7 a.m.-2 p.m.; June-Oct.

Nettelhorst French Market, 3252 N. Broadway
8 a.m.-2 p.m.; April 24-Oct. 30

North Center, at Damen and Lincoln
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 19-Oct. 30

Northfield Farmers Market, 6 Happ
7:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 29-Oct. 23

Oak Park Farmers Market, at Elmwood and Lake
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 22-Oct. 30

Palatine Farmers Market, at Wood and Smith
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 1-Oct. 30

Park Forest Farmers Market, 271 Lakewood
7 a.m.-noon; May 1-Oct. 30

Park Ridge Farmers Market, 15 Prairie
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 29-Oct. 30

Printer's Row Farmers Market, at Dearborn and Polk
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 12-Oct. 16

Rowan Trees Farmers Market, at Englewood and Normal
8 a.m.-4 p.m.; May 1-Oct. 31

Southport Green Market, at Grace and Southport
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 12-Oct. 9

Tinley Park Farmers Market, at 173rd and Oak Park
7 a.m.-noon; June 5-Sept. 25

Wheaton French Market, at Liberty and Main
8 a.m.-2 p.m.; April 24-Nov. 6

Sundays

Beverly Farmers Market, at 95th and Longwood
7 a.m.-1 p.m.; May 16-Oct. 24

Frankfort Country Market, 100 Kansas
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; April 25-Oct. 10

Glenwood Sunday Market, at Glenwood and Morse
9 a.m.-2 p.m.; June 6-Oct. 17

Independence Park Farmers Market, at Irving Park and Springfield
9 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 13-Oct. 10 (second and fourth Sundays only)

Logan Square Farmers Market, 3107 W. Logan
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; June-Oct.

Mt. Prospect Farmers Market, NW Hwy and Rte. 83
8 a.m.-1 p.m.; June 6-Oct. 17

Pilsen Farmers Market, at 18th and Halsted
9 a.m.-3 p.m.; June 13-Oct. 31

Portage Park Farmers Market at 4100 N. Long
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; June-Oct. (first and third Sundays)

Starr Park Sunday Market at Washington and Oakley
8 a.m.-2 p.m.; July-Oct. Wicker Park/Bucktown Farmers Market, at Wicker Park along Damen
8 a.m.-2 p.m., June 6-Oct. 24

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Find a CSA in the Chicago Area

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:00:00 CST

Get produce from King's Hill Farm at the Chicago Botanic Garden.

If we truly are what we eat, then most of us should stop calling ourselves Chicagoans ? we're more like foreign exchange students, or Californians. That's what happens when the majority of food from our grocery store travels an average of 1,500 miles just to get there. Fortunately there's a local, farm-fresh alternative known as community-supported agriculture (CSA), where nothing (aside from plenty of organically-grown crops) stands between you and the farmer. Here's a look at Chicago's best in terms of cost, value and convenience.

Angelic Organics
Touted as one of the largest CSAs in the country, this Caledonia locale feeds more than 1,400 families on average. The farm grows its food in accordance with biodynamic principles, so you don't have to worry about any artificial chemicals lingering in your cucumber salad or your homemade apple pie. You also don't have to stress over hiking it out to Caledonia, as Angelic Organics offers more than 20 different drop-off spots in the Chicago area. Shareholders (that's you) receive a weekly bushel of fresh veggies and herbs. Expect plenty of tomatoes, potatoes, sprouts, cauliflower and squash. Half-bushels are also available for those living the single life, and you can bet boxes are filled to the brim, no matter which size you choose. Twelve-week shares (from mid-August to October) are still available for $410, with the option to extend through December for an extra $100.

King's Hill
This year-round CSA-focused farm may be located in Wisconsin, but you can still get the goods locally at the Chicago Botanic Garden, Green City Market, Glenwood Sunday Market and Independence Park Farmers Market. You can sign up for a full-season share (10 bi-monthly deliveries from June-October, $375) until May 30, a summer share (6 deliveries, August-October, $225) until July 31 and a winter share (2 deliveries, November-December, $120) until October 31. King's Hill is big on seasonal veggies like asparagus, spinach, summer squash, sweet corn, tomatoes, garlic, parsnips and rutabagas.

Broad Branch Farm
If you want to get in on this popular CSA, you'd better act fast - you can still get the vegetable share for the main season (June-October; $484 for weekly deliveries, $264 for every other week) or for the fall (two deliveries; $52). A typical Broad Branch box contains six or seven items with the variety depending, as you might expect, on the time of the season. Like most CSA shares, veggies are packed on the day of delivery and each box contains a weekly newsletter listing the latest farm happenings. And as a bonus, Broad Branch includes preparation ideas and recipes for your seasonal goods. Drop-off locations are in Dunlap, Peoria Heights, Peoria and Naperville. The farm also offers a once-per-month meat share, in which all animals are raised on the farm with access to pasture, sunshine, clean water and certified organic feed, and an egg share featuring a dozen eggs every week (or every other week). Unfortunately, both options are sold out for this year.

Triple A Farms
At $330 for the entire summer/fall season, we found Triple A Farms to provide one of the best bushels in terms of cost. The 12-week share breaks down to $27.50 per week (for a full bushel), which is just about right if the bulk of your diet consists of fresh fruits and veggies. If you can't justify spending that much on produce each week, or you're worried about wasting it, we suggest going in half with a friend ? though you and your mate may have a tough time divvying up those vibrant red tomatoes, spicy jalapenos and sweet cantaloupes. Other seasonal items include potatoes, green beans, sweet onions, zucchini, sweet corn and cucumbers. The goods can be picked up at multiple locations, including the Logan Square and Andersonville farmer's markets.

Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm
Dear vegetarians, we admire your healthful diets and we're secretly jealous of your will power. But this one's strictly for our carnivorous readers, because at Cedar Valley, it's all about the meat. A sample monthly share from the Ottawa farm includes stir-fry beef, hamburger, round steak, Italian sausage, pork chops, ham steak, pasture-raised chickens and farm fresh eggs. Cedar Valley offers pickup locations throughout the Chicago area, including Logan Square, Lincoln Square, Oak Park, Naperville, Beverly and Evanston. Prices range from $255 for three months to $975 for the whole year.

Irv and Shelly's Fresh Picks
While not technically a CSA, Irv and Shelly's uses resources from multiple farms to provide year-round home delivery of fresh organic produce, meat and dairy products.

Hey, commuters! Did you know that many farms deliver to highway oases in the area? Check out your options and bring home a box:

Harvest Moon Farms
Delivers to: Belvidere Oasis, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90); Des Plaines Oasis, Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I-90); Hinsdale Oasis, Tri-State Tollway (I-294); Lake Forest Oasis, Tri-State Tollway (I-94); O'Hare Oasis, Tri-State Tollway (I-294/94)
Scotch Hill Farm
Delivers to: Lake Forest Oasis, Tri-State Tollway (I-94)
Triple A Farms
Delivers to: Chicago Southland Lincoln Oasis, Tri-State Tollway (I-294/80)

More interested in creating your own box of goodies? Check out our list of Chicago-area farmers markets. Late to the party? Mid-season shares are still available from these farms.

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Ten-Hour Flight

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: courtesy of More Cupcakes

Wine and beer flights are an excellent way to discover new drinks without having to commit to an entire glass of something you might not like. So why not apply this genius idea to food, too? Many local restaurants have done just that, and more are following suit, upping the ante on what foods might do well in flight form. Keep reading to discover a day?s worth of inventive food flights, from breakfast to dinner to dessert.

10 a.m.: Bacon flight at Bakin' & Eggs
The only thing better than bacon is...even more bacon. Lakeview's newest brunch spot Bakin' & Eggs knows this and offers a flight of five kinds of bacon on its weekday breakfast and weekend brunch menus. For $6, you get one strip each of jalapeno, honey, mesquite, maple pepper and cherry smoked bacon, served in rows on an otherwise bare white plate (garnish would only take away from the beauty that is a flight of bacon). It can be hard to tell which strip is which flavor (other than the obvious jalapeno), so ask your server before you dig in.

noon: Charcuterie flight at Old Town Social
More good news for meat lovers: Charcuterie is all the rage these days, with multiple restaurants showing off their meat cases and wide selection of fancily named cold cuts. At Old Town Social, pick and choose from the list of 15 meats ($4 each) or order a selection of five ($16). Made from Red Wattle pigs from South Pork Ranch in Chatsworth, Illinois, porcine options include soppresatta (spicy salami), mortadella, chorizo and coppa di testa (head cheese). Tasty parts from other animals include chicken liver pate and pastrami. All are served with a toasted baguette, butter and a house-made pickle lilly relish.

3 p.m.: Cupcake flight at More Cupcakes
Give in to that mid-afternoon sweets craving with a flight of mini-cupcakes from more. Called "moresels," these adorable treats are about the size of a half-dollar and can be purchased as a flight of six. Choices include the chocolate flight (with two chocolate vanilla, chocolate chocolate and chocolate cream-filled moresels), the sweet flight (red velvet, salted caramel and black and white moresels) and the favorite flight (cookies and cream, chocolate hazelnut brittle and chocolate ganache-filled moresels), each $9.50. On Fridays, a cocktail flight (with margarita, pomegranate mojito and lemon drop moresels) is also available ($11.50), as well as a flight of rotating savory flavors on weekends ($10.50).

photo: courtesy of Bin 36

5 p.m.: Cheese flight at Bin 36
Chicago's wine-flight master, Bin 36 recently introduced eight new cheese flights to its menu that range from cheddars to blues to chevres. Each flight ($11 to $16) includes four cheeses served on a stone slab with crostini, Granny Smith apple slices, sesame biscuits, cabernet sauvignon gelee, and fig and honey compote. Try the Fat Cats flight to experience the cheesecake-like Regal de Bourgogne Raisin and the sinfully buttery Brillat-Savarin. Beyond these offerings, a grilled cheese trio, charcuterie plates and a chocolate tasting for two are also available. The restaurant is happy to recommend wine pairings for all of the above.

8 p.m.: Pasta flight at Scoozi!
The only meal-size option on the list includes your choice of two pasta trios at this River North favorite. The perfect solution for those who just can't decide, the gnocchi trio includes a sampling of the traditional tomato and cream (with pomodoro sauce), wood-roasted fennel (with toasted bread crumbs and parmesan cream) and bolognese gnocchi. Or opt for the ravioli trio, with mezzaluna bandiera (spinach and ricotta-stuffed ravioli with alfredo and tomato sauce), sweet pea (with prosciutto, brown butter and truffle oil) and butternut squash (with brown butter, sage and toasted walnuts). Trios are $14.95 each.

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Easter Brunches

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

After 40 days of self-restraint, you've got a right to overindulge. Whether it's chocolate, booze or fried fare you're craving, these restaurants have just the thing to soothe your sacrificial woes on Easter Sunday (April 4).

10pin Bowling Lounge
11 a.m. and 2 p.m. seatings; $39 including food and bowling, kids under 4 free
Enjoy a full brunch then take to the lanes at this River North spot. If you knock down one of the special pink pins, you'll win a prize (kids will get an Easter egg filled with goodies). Specialty drinks include the Jelly Bean and the Yellow Peep (for kids) and the Chocolate Bunny martini for adults.

Abbington Distinctive Banquets
$34.95
The elegant brunch buffet here will include a breakfast station with favorites like eggs benedict and cooked-to-order omelets; an appetizer and salad bar; a cooked-to-order past station; entrees like honey-baked ham, lamb and prime rib; and a dessert table with a chocolate fondue fountain. Kids 5-12 eat for $15.95.

Ann Sather
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
In lieu of its typical Swedish and American specialties, the Belmont and Andersonville locations of Ann Sather will serve up holiday dinners ($17.95, $10 for kids 12 and under) including your choice of roasted leg of lamb with mint jelly and mashed potatoes; baked ham with fruit glaze and sweet potatoes; broiled salmon with mustard dill sauce and mashed potatoes; roast turkey with grilled mushrooms and mashed potatoes; beef tenderloin with grilled mushrooms and mashed potatoes; or spinach lasagna. All meals include homemade breads, vegetable soup, asparagus and apple or cherry pie.

Balsan
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
In addition to its regular brunch menu, this Elysian Hotel restaurant will offers specials like broche French toast with rhubarb and lime; ricotta gnudi with English peas, mint and lemon; fettuccine with asparagus, morel mushrooms and garlic; Alaskan halibut with artichokes, fava beans and chervil; and lamb with flageolet beants, spring onions and black olives. Cocktail specials include the Spring Mimosa with champagne and apricot puree, the Pink Lady with gin, rhubarb and egg white, and the Belleville with vodka, cucumber, mint and St. Germain elderflower liqueur.

Bin 36
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $38 per adult, $19 for kids under 12
In addition to the lavish buffet featuring items like eggs benedict, blueberry ricotta pancakes and roast beef with horseradish cream, this River North favorite offers special beverage flights for kids and adults, each featuring four three-ounce variations. Adults can choose between bloody mary (including an Asian Mary with pickled ginger, soy sauce and wasabi) and mimosa (including a pomegranate variety) flights for $12.50 each, while kids can decide between juice and milk flights for $3.50.

Bistrot Margot
10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.; $24.95
If you can't get up early enough for the takeaway crepes and beignets this Old Town French restaurant offers (or maybe you'll be in church), stop by for a special three-course brunch menu.

Brasserie Jo
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Enjoy traditional French brunch selections as well as a special kids brunch menu. There will also be complimentary kids entertainment and activities - games, crafts, DVDs, etc. - in the Salon.

C-House
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Special seasonal brunch offerings include buckwheat crepes, pan-seared trout, bacon and roasted-apple omelet, and a whitefish boudin eggs benedict. If you've got a sweet tooth, try some sweet potato donuts, homemade biscuits with raw honey and jam or Meyer lemon pudding cake.

Cafe des Architectes
10:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; $55
Chef Martial Noguier's four-course menu includes choices like smoked Nueske ham crepes, lamb tournedos and a chocolate pistachio "dome." Children 5-12 can eat for $25, while kids younger than five eat free (a children's menu is also available); the Easter Bunny will make an appearance and each children will get a special Easter gift.

Carnivale
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Chef Mark Mendez's unique Easter brunch creations include huevos motulenos with poached organic eggs, black beans, crispy tortillas and habanero salsa ($12) and french toast with vanilla butter, local honey and fresh fruit ($10).

CityGate Grille
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $28 for adults, $12 for kids 6-12, free for kids 5 and under
Get your photo taken with some real baby bunnies, courtesy of Jill's Portraits, between 10 a.m. and noon at this restaurant in Naperville's Hotel Arista. The brunch will include a carving station, made-to-order omelets, a seafood bar and more.

Courtright's
11:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; $49-$55
Guests will have a choice between a three-course ($49) or four-course ($55) holiday meal here, with selections including Scott salmon tartare, honey-glazed ham with sweet potato gratin, brussels sprouts fricassee and pineapple-pork sauce, and Madagascar vanilla and mascarpone panna cotta with pomegranate-rhubarb puree. A three-course children's menu will be available for $30.

Custom House Tavern
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; $38, $15 for kids 12 and under
Chef Aaron Deal's three-course menu includes choices like Carolina Coast blue crab bisque, wild mushroom benedict and elderflower sorbet with rhubarb and candied kasha.

Dick's Last Resort
10 a.m.
The Cavern Beat, a Beatles cover band, will provide entertainment for those who partake in the all-you-can-eat buffet here including shrimp, biscuits and gravy, custom waffles and omelets, ham, fried chicken, mac 'n' cheese and more. Kids entertainment includes egg-dying, crafts, an egg hunt and, of course, a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Dunlays on the Square
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
There are some major benefits to going to church on Easter Sunday, and not just with the man upstairs. Bring in your church bulletin to Dunlays and you'll get 15 percent off your bill. That'll really add up when you see the Easter specials on the menu, including quiche with roasted peppers, goat cheese, onions and mushrooms or sausage, onions and bacon ($10), crab cake benedict ($13) and bottomless mimosas ($10).

Eve
10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. seatings; $32
The three-course brunch menu at Eve includes choices like smoked salmon with green beans and Grana Padano; chervil pistou with green garlic potato-puree; and green eggs and ham. All-you-can-drink mimosas are included with the deal.

Fuego Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar
9 a.m.-3 p.m.; $29.95 adults, $15.95 kids 5-12
Switch things up with a Mexican brunch buffet at this Logan Square eatery. The feast includes marinated ham in achote verde, pork loin in prune mole, pozole de camaron (shrimp stew), tamale, chilaquiles and more. Mimosas are included.

Gage
10 a.m.-4 p.m.
In addition to its regular brunch menu, this Michigan Avenue restaurant will offer special spring-inspired dishes including a puree of carrot soup with ginger-cured scallop, pink pepper and cilantro ($9), an Alaskan salmon Benedict with focaccia, poached eggs and smoked Hollandaise ($16) and, of course, wood-grilled lamb T-bone with English peas and smoked walnuts ($28). Dessert options include a mascarpone cheesecake with rhubarb, pistachio and honey ($10).

Harry Caray's (Lombard)
10 a.m.-2 p.m.; $39.95 adults, $19.95 kids 6-12
The champagne brunch here includes an omelet and scramble station, a Belgian waffle station, a carving station, a full selection of salads, entrees, desserts, children's favorites and more. The Easter Bunny will be circulating throughout. Or head to the Rosemont location, where the brunch lasts from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and costs a dollar less.

Hearty
Friday, April 2-Sunday, April 4
It's all about Easter sweets at this Boystown spot, where you'll find a purple jelly bean cocktail (sambuca, creme de violette, Catdaddy Carolina moonshine) and a s'mores dessert with housemade chewy graham crackers, chocolate-chile sauce and torched Peeps. The specials will be available for dinner Friday and Saturday, and for brunch on Sunday (until 4 p.m.). The restaurant will be closed for dinner on Sunday.

HUB 51
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $30, $15 for kids 12 and under
Brioche french toast, short ribs benedict and a full sushi bar (as well as brunch staples) will fill the tables at this buffet-style feast. There will also be dessert stations complete with mini Martha's Carrot Cakes, brownies and butterscotch spoons.

Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House (Naperville)
9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. seatings; $35 adults, $14 kids 4-12
The festive champagne brnch here including a carving station, an omelet station, a buffet line and a sweets station, as well as a complimentary glass of champagne for adults (soft drinks are included for everyone). Specialties like shrimp cocktail, sushi and filet medallions in red wine sauce will be featured.

Italiasia
11 a.m.-8 p.m.; $18.95, $11.95 for kids 12 and under
The all-day Easter buffet at the downtown Holiday Inn restaurant features items like white bean with escarole and sausage soup, risotto with crab and shrimp and maple-glazed sweet potatoes.

Le Titi de Paris
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $36-$39
Choose a three- or four-course menu at this Arlingon Heights French restaurant. Options include a "Lorraine" tart, a nut-crusted pork tenderloin, a warm orchard fruit cobbler and more.

Longman & Eagle
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
It's not necessarily an Easter brunch, but this Logan Square hotspot does launch its brunch menu on an auspicious day, and the menu is cause for celebration. Try a pork-belly omelet with piquillo peppers and manchego cheese, sunnyside-up duck egg over duck confit with green onions, roasted shallots and black truffle vinaigrette, and smoked catfish cakes with slow-cooked hen eggs, collard greens, dehydrated bacon and truffle mousseline. Also of note: the PBR breakfast, with two eggs any style, bacon or sausage, potato hash and a can of PBR.

Luxbar
9 a.m.-3 p.m.,br> Bring the kids to this child-centric brunch featuring a specail appearance by the Easter Bunny, an Easter egg hunt and dishes like a fried egg sandwich with bacon, tomato, onion and cheddar served with hash browns.

Markethouse
11 a.m.-2 p.m.; $45 adults, $20 kids under 10
The buffet at this Doubletree Hotel restaurant will feature lobster eggs benedict, made-to-order omelets, country ham, legs of lamb, butterscotch bread pudding and much more.

Meson Sabika (Naperville)
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; $38.95 for adults, $14.95 for kids 7-14, free for kids under 6
The brunch buffet at this Naperville Spanish restaurant includes a carving station, made-to-order omelets, desserts and a special children's section. An Easter egg hunt is planned, weather permitting.

Odyssey Cruises
11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.; $64.90-$79.90
Enjoy beautiful views and impressive cuisine aboard this Lake Michigan cruise, which offers brunch ($64.90) and dinner ($79.90) options. The early trip includes a complimentary glass of champagne or mimosa, a buffet and a visit with the Easter Bunny. In the evening, expect a plated dinner with a dessert station and live entertainment. Kids 3-12 cruise for half-price, while kids two and under are free.

one sixtyblue
11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; $39 ($12 waffle bar for kids under 12)
Chef Michael McDonald's three-course Easter brunch menu features choices like slow-cooked pork belly with buttermilk biscuits and spicy sausage gravy; ricotta-English pea ravioli with Parmesan gratin; and peanut butter panna cotta with caramelized banana, raspberries and chocolate cream. Special a la carte cocktails will be available.

Prairie Grass Cafe
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Before you even get up to go to the buffet at this Northbrook favorite, you'll enjoy the signature PGC Benedict with poached eggs, spinach and roasted tomato hollandaise sauce. Then you'll be able to feast on all the made-to-order omelets and waffles, honey-glazed ham, moussaka, herb-roasted chicken, crab cakes, new potatoes, Greek salad, spring asparagus salad and deviled eggs you desire. A full table of desserts will be available, too.

Sam & Harry's Steakhouse
10 a.m.-3 p.m.; $39, $15 for kids 6-11
The special brunch at this Schaumburg favorite includes both a full buffet with breakfast, lunch and dessert items and plated entrees like grilled lamb chops, pan-roasted Scottish salmon, garlic peppercorn-crusted prime rib and Duroc pork two ways.

Signature Room at the 95th
9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; $65 adults, $25 kids
The lavish brunch buffet at this high-flying restaurant will feature a raw bar, slow-roasted lamb, made-to-order omelets, challah french toast and more. The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance to hand out candy and pose for photos.

Sixteen
10:30 a.m.-3 p.m.; $115, $25 for kids under 8
Go upscale this Easter with a lavish brunch in this Trump Hotel restaurant, including made-to-order sushi; seared sea bass with blood orange salad and wilted mustard greens; veal loin with sweet Vidalia onion jam and fava bean and ham ragout; and lamb roulade with mint pesto, pine nuts and roasted red pepper. Kids will get a special treat, as the Easter bunny will make an appearance and there will be an egg hunts beginning at 11:30 a.m.

The Southern
Chef Cary Taylor offers interpretations of two Easter classics on Sunday, including Brunswick stew with rabbit, stewed tomatoes, preserved corn and Judion beans, and seared lamb heart with sweet-pea hummus, cucumber-dill relish, glazed baby carrots and goat's milk feta cheese.

Spirit of Chicago
noon and 3:30 p.m.; $49.90-$69.90
Brunch ($49.90) and dinner ($69.90 buffets are available for those who want to celebrate Easter on Lake Michigan. The Easter Bunny will make an appearance during the early cruise, while live DJs will perform later on. Kids 3-12 cruise for half-price, while kids two and under are free.

The Spot
11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
The popular Diva Brunch returns with a vengeance on Easter Sunday, with special performances from Vallery Dolls, Esta-Bunny and Miss Caledonia Olivares. Miss Scooty hosts the drag-tastic event; call (773)728-8934 or email brian@spotchicago.com to RSVP.

Tapas Valencia
10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; $29.95, $12.95 for kids 6-12, free for kids under six
The South Loop Spanish restaurant offers up a brunch buffet featuring a carving station, made-to-order omelets and desserts.

Trader Vic's
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $34.95, $13.95 for kids 12 and under
You'll be tempted to pair a Mai Tai with this buffet feast including grass-fed Wisconsin lamb and ham, chilled shrimp, an omelet station, pecan french toast, desserts and more.

Va Pensiero
10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; $38, $15 per child
The brunch menu at this Evanston Italian favorite includes items like eggs benedict on a focaccia crostini with prosciutto di parma and mascarpone hollandaise, pork scallopini with roasted root vegetables, bittersweet chocolate crepes and more.

Wave
Special additions to the brunch menu at this W Hotel restaurant include brioche French toast with lemon curd, strawberries and bananas, Goose Island beer-brined fried chicken with buttermilk biscuits, and huevos rancheros with housemade queso fresco, corn tortiallas and roasted tomato salsa.Zest
11 a.m.-3 p.m.; $49, $20 per child
Not only will you enjoy a full brunch buffet with a carving station, entrees, desserts and a kids' table, but Jimmy Kim (founder of Tokyo Lunch Boxes & Catering) will be preparing sushi and sashimi to order.

Dye-ing for more Easter fun?

Ethnic Easter Eats
Ham Alternatives
Easter Egg Hunts
Easter Dessert Recipes

Check out more from Centerstage's 2010 Chicago Easter Guide.

Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!

Chicago Passover Specials

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

Don't feel like making your own matzo ball soup and brisket this year? You're in luck. Many Chicago businesses make it easy to get your Passover seder feast without much trouble, whether you're dining out or having the whole family over to your house.

If you are cooking your own, you'll want to check out these great Passover purveyors.

Steve's Deli
On Monday, March 29 and Tuesday, March 30, this River North deli will offer a wide range of traditional items to enjoy, including gefilte fish, charoset, kugel, matzo balls, roasted chicken with apricot glaze, BBQ brisket by the pound, Mandel bread, Passover 7-Layer cake and much more. If you prefer to pass the stuff off as your own, you can order as soon as the day before, with pick up or delivery available on March 29 and 30.

Piccolo Sogno
We're not sure how an Italian Passover feast will work when you can't have pasta, but you can find out for $75/person on Tuesday, March 30. There will be seatings at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m., and you'll get a traditional seder and wine, too.

Fox & Obel
Fox & Obel's Passover catering menu will be available from March 26-April 6 and includes traditional dinner choices like matzo ball soup ($12 per quart) and gefilte fish with fresh beet and horseradish puree ($22 per half-dozen). Desserts offer plenty of Passover-friendly sweets like flourless chocolate cake with bittersweet chocolate glaze ($22 serves 8-10) and coconut macaroons ($10/half dozen). Complete Passover dinners ($180 for 6, $400 for 12) including matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, burgundy-braised beef brisket, whole rotisserie chicken, charoset, apple-walnut matzo kugel and steamed asparagus with lemon zest and pine nuts will also be available. Ritual seder plates (included in the complete dinner) with maror (grated fresh horseradish), chazeret (lettuce) charoset (made with honey, apples, walnuts, raisins and red wine), karpas (parsley), z'roa (roasted lamb shank bone) and beitzah (hardboiled egg) can be purchased a la carte for $12. Ordering deadline: Friday, March 26.

Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!

Where to Shop for Passover Seder

Mon, 22 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: courtesy of Illinois Nut & Candy

You'll do more than clean your plate if you use one of these at your seder.

It's crunch time. Passover is just days away, and you're anxiously waiting to play gracious host to the entire family. You've stocked up on matzo, you've memorized your bubbe's brisket recipe, you've busted out the good china and you've even gone through the trouble of shining each delicate piece. In your intoxicating cleaning frenzy, you realize you forgot a couple of key ingredients (not to mention that you already drank most of that wine you bought specifically for seder). Luckily, these nearby shops have plenty of Passover goods to save your tokhes.

Looking for someone else to cook your meal? Try these Chicago passover specials.

Stock up on the wine at Hungarian Kosher Foods
You'll be hard-pressed to find a better selection of kosher wines anywhere in the nation. This 25,000-square-foot specialty market does, after all, stock the largest inventory of the stuff (bottles can also be purchased online at kosher.wine.com). If you're strapped for time, Hungarian Kosher Foods also serves as a great one-stop shop with its abundance of kosher meats, fish, produce, pastries and candies. But let's get back to the wine; in honor of Passover, the shop is offering a huge sale on over 60 bottles (some even as low as $4.99) from a wide spectrum of regions including Israel, Chile, France, Spain, Hungary, Argentina, California, Australia and New York.

Grab a quick bite at Good Morgan Fish
This kosher fish market, located in Rogers Park, has been a staple in Chicago's Jewish community for more than 40 years (it wasn't always Good Morgan, but it was always about fish). The popular pick here is whitefish, which is offered in a variety of preparations including grilled, fried and fresh. You'll also find plenty of trout, chub, cod, salmon and snapper. Good Morgan also offers a selection of kosher soups, sandwiches and salads, so you can grab a quick bite during your Passover shopping spree.

Find the best brisket at Ebner's Kosher Meat Market
Also located in Rogers Park is Ebner's Kosher Meat Market. The place has been around since 1966, which may explain why most of the customers here are on a first-name basis with Ebner's staff. But don't let the old-timers throw you off, newcomers are just as welcome and it won't take long for the jovial employees to warm up. In fact, buying meat from Ebner's may just be a guise for some quality socializing, though the product is just as good as its suppliers, so stock up before you get too carried away in conversation.

Don't skip out on the sweet stuff at Illinois Nut & Candy
If Hungarian Kosher Foods is the Midwest's Mecca for wine, then Illinois Nut & Candy is its kosher-candy counterpart. The shop offers over 45 different varieties of Passover candy samplers, including chocolates, mint bark, chocolate rum raisins, peppermint patties and ju ju fruits. If you're looking for something truly unique, check out the "perfect Passover plate" (a large round disc designed to look like a traditional Passover plate), made entirely of chocolate. The staff recommends using it as a sweet centerpiece, in which case, we recommend getting two (trust us, the temptation is enough to make you meshuge).

photo: courtesy of Angel Gardens

Find a floral centerpiece at Angel Gardens Florist
If you'd rather play it safe and not be at risk of devouring your own centerpiece, we recommend a good old-fashioned floral arrangement. This place specializes in bouquets for just about every occasion you can possibly fathom, and Passover is right at the top of that list. Angel Gardens traditional arrangements include everything from a vibrant yellow Sunshine Express bouquet neatly displayed in a simple clear vase, to the more colorful (think pinks, lavenders and whites) Touch of Butterflies, thoughtfully bunched in a rustic wicker basket. Simple potted displays like the White Garden (which, incidentally, is mostly green) make for humble centerpieces, while more extravagant arrangements like the Incredible Iris (standing firmly in a clear tall vase) are sure to spark a reaction from your guests (though probably not as much as a chocolate plate would).

Take it easy with Fox & Obel's catering menu
Fox & Obel's Passover catering menu will be available from March 26-April 6 and includes traditional dinner choices like matzo ball soup ($12 per quart) and gefilte fish with fresh beet and horseradish puree ($22 per half-dozen). Desserts offer plenty of Passover-friendly sweets like flourless chocolate cake with bittersweet chocolate glaze ($22 serves 8-10) and coconut macaroons ($10/half dozen). Complete Passover dinners ($180 for 6, $400 for 12) including matzo ball soup, gefilte fish, burgundy-braised beef brisket, whole rotisserie chicken, charoset, apple-walnut matzo kugel and steamed asparagus with lemon zest and pine nuts will also be available. Ritual seder plates (included in the complete dinner) with maror (grated fresh horseradish), chazeret (lettuce) charoset (made with honey, apples, walnuts, raisins and red wine), karpas (parsley), z'roa (roasted lamb shank bone) and beitzah (hardboiled egg) can be purchased a la carte for $12. Ordering deadline: Friday, March 26.

Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!

Chicago Earth Hour Events

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

On Saturday, March 27, cities across the world will go dark for one hour in honor of Earth Hour, an international event organized by the World Wildlife Fund. From 8:30-9:30 p.m., businesses and households will be encouraged to turn off all lights and electrical appliances in order to conserve energy and perhaps make the world a little greener. This year, a handful of local restaurants and bars are doing their part in raising awareness of global warming by offering eco-friendly environments, food and drink. So instead of sitting alone in your candlelit apartment, bike or walk to one of these spots to share in the green festivities.

aria
The Fairmont Hotel restaurant will offer a special menu featuring items from Green City Market, as well as organic martinis. If you're staying at the hotel, expect exterior lights to be turned off and indoor lights to be dimmed.

Bistro Bordeaux
Talk about mood lighting - during Earth Hour, guests at this Evanston French restaurant will dine solely by the light of flickering candles hung from the ceiling. Watch out for dripping wax!

C-View
It's lights out from 8:30 p.m.-midnight at this 29th floor rooftop lounge at the Affinia Chicago hotel, which offers an exclusive Earth Hour menu featuring $10 cocktails like the In the Dark (Godiva Dark, Vanilla Stoli, simple syrup), the Lights Out (Bacardi Light Rum, pineapple, strawberry, blueberries and vanilla maple syrup) and the Big Al (Veeva Acai Spirit, chamomile tea syrup, St. Germaine, organic alfalfa honey, lemon). The hotel itself will keep the lobby candlelit from 8:30-9:30 p.m.

Cyrano's Bistrot & Wine Bar
The River North French restaurant will offer several slow-cooked dishes (which use less energy to make) in a candlelit dining room on Saturday night.

Duke's Alehouse and Kitchen
Dine at Duke's during Earth Hour and you'll get a free raw appetizer with any beverage purchase (available only from 8:30-9:30 p.m.). Drinks are cheap, too, with $3 well vodka, gin and rum cocktails and $5 Red Bull vodka available all night. You can also get a free soup or salad with any regular menu entree purchase throughout the evening.

Harry Caray's
The $10 Evening Shade cocktail (Grey Goose, Canton ginger liquor, grand marnier) will be available all night long in honor of Earth Hour.

Nacional 27
Try a "glow in the dark" dish or drink at this Latin restaurant. Options include a ceviche sampling platter, with four recipes on a bed of crushed ice illuminated by colored lights ($10.95/person) and three "27 Ounces of Fun" sharing cocktails (Tiki Punch, Passion Colada Daiquiri and Latin Long Island, $17-$21) with glowing discs in the bottom of each glass.

Osteria Via Stato
Taking food to-go from this Italian favorite in River North? Bring along your own reusable bag and you'll get 20 percent off your bill between 5-11 p.m. If you're eating in, you'll enjoy a candlelit meal during Earth Hour.

Redhead Piano Bar
Buy a Lights Out cocktail and $5 of your money will go to WWF, the organization behind Earth Hour.

Red Kiva
The featured drink at this West Loop lounge will be the GoGreenTini, a mixture of Absolut Vanilla, Sour Apple Pucker and a splash of sweet and sour, topped with a cherry for $12. You can sip the concoction by candlelight.

The Restaurant at Conrad
Enjoy a candlelit dinner during Earth Hour at this hotel restaurant in River North.

Swissotel Chicago
The downtown hotel will switch off all non-emergency lighting during Earth Hour, inviting guests to enjoy organic drinks in the candlelit Lobby Lounge, including Peak Organic India Pale Ale and Nut Brown Ale ($7 each) and Parducci pinot noir and chardonnay ($12/glass).

Volo
Starting at 8:30 p.m., the Roscoe Village date spot will get even more romantic with a completely candle-lit dinner. It's the third straight year for the event, which features Chef Stephen Dunne's full menu of small plates, boutique wines by the glass, artisan cheeses and desserts.

Whole Foods (Evanston South)
The grocery store will turn out its lights for an hour and host a dessert party for shoppers.

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Offal Good

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: Grant Kessler Photography

The charcuterie plate is a great way to start your culinary adventure at The Publican.

Correlation doesn't imply causation, of course, but it's interesting that the economic nightmare we've been living through should pair up with the resurgence of popularity for some of the traditionally discarded or ignored parts of the animal. People are going broke and restaurants are putting hearts and kidneys on the plate? Hard to imagine that the two aren't connected. It was a big year for organs and offal in 2009, with some of the city's most talented chefs finding unique ways to feed us everything from beef hearts and sweetbreads to (gasp) penis. Whether you're a viscera veteran or just now considering a ride on the brain train, these Chicago restaurants are highly recommended for those with adventurous palates.

Mado
Without a doubt, the first place on the list to mention when it comes to snout-to-tail cooking in Chicago is Rob and Allie Levitt's Bucktown eatery. On any given evening, you might find pig's head terrines, family dinners consisting entirely of mutton or boar-based dishes, and the ever-present presentation of beef's heart. But just discussing the random cuts of meat on the menu isn't fair to Mado. In addition to the restaurant's dedication to using every part of the animal, the seasonally focused spot was named one of Bon Appetit's best new restaurants - which means that no matter how foreign the food may seem, it's in your best interest to ingest it.

The Bristol
The gargantuan skewer of meats, cheeses and pickled vegetables served with The Bristol's bloody mary might be the most visually striking dish that the restaurant produces, but chef Chris Pandel's "5th Quarter" menu is where you'll find the real adventure. Liver ditches the traditional plate with onions and finds a new home in house-made sausages. Pork heart is grilled and presented in pure form, fully recognizable as a major part of the circulatory system. Marrow is roasted and eaten straight from the bone. The Bristol has taken some shots in the food world as being occasionally derivative of other joints around town, but has emerged with its own identity, one that takes organic, snout-to-tail cooking just as seriously as the rest of the field.

The Publican
For a place that was originally sold as a temple to beer, pork and oysters, the Publican quickly became known for its presentation of the part of the pig that usually gets tossed aside. Its take on deep-fried pork rinds almost immediately became the must-have dish, puffy and light and fatty and spicy and salty all at the same time. Of course, it won't take long to work your way through the rest of the menu while lubricated with hard-to-find brews chosen by The Publican's beer sommelier. Sweetbreads (the thymus and pancreas glands) sit atop collard greens and peanuts. A charcuterie plate features liver sausage and headcheese. Veal heart is also on the menu, served with pickled cherries and the Mediterranean grain known as farro. The Publican blossomed in 2009 as another high-end destination dedicated to doing everything it can with underutilized parts of the animal, and it shows no sign of stopping. Especially as long as those pork rinds stick around.

photo: Misty Tosh

Whatever's in this bowl, it'll probably taste good.

Tank Noodle (Pho Xe Tang)
You could easily eat your way up and down Argyle Street and encounter any number of non-traditional meat products, but we'll point our focus toward Tank for a few main reasons. First off, Tank is essentially the gateway drug into Vietnamese cuisine for many Chicagoans. From there many branch out to Pho 888 and New Saigon and the many other Viet joints that create the Argyle community. Second, it's where many get their first exposure to tripe, pieces of chewy, toothsome stomach meat which nestles next to flank steak, brisket and meatballs in dozens of bowls of pho daily. Third, it's one of the few places where you can scan the menu and find the option to add some cow penis to your bowl. What more could you want?

Don Pedro Carnitas
While some of the taquerias around town stick strictly to your standard gringo chicken/beef/steak selections for those taco and burrito cravings, more authentic taco shacks will feature the deeper cuts - literally. Tripe soup on the weekends comes standard in most places, as do tacos de tripa, but the real fun comes when "lengua" and "sesos" and the like enter the equation. Tacos with cuts of chewy tongue and creamy, exceptionally fatty brains and other organ meats can be found on menus across the city. Rather than blow your mind by sending you to the Maxwell Street Market for the infamous eyeball taco, we're pointing you toward this Pilsen outpost, where you can supplement the offbeat offerings with some deep-fried pork and goat dishes (like pork skin chicharonnes and the eponymous carnitas).

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Go Beyond the Glaze

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: Clifton Henri

Not one to argue with an opportunity to gorge myself on swine, I never really questioned the whole "eat ham on Easter" tradition. That is, until I was the one that had to lug that hog's ass around the kitchen, trying to make heads or curly-tails out of how to cook the damn thing. Ham will do just fine for a family gathering, when someone else is doing the heavy lifting, but Chicago is rife with tasty pork alternatives. This year, I've decided to explore other parts of the pig.

Pulled pork at Smoque BBQ
Ham, like loin, was once considered high-brow meat; it's where the term "high on the hog" came from. But when it comes to good Southern eats, the cheap cuts have always prevailed. Take for example, Boston Butt, which is the go-to cut for authentic barbeque.

Smoque, a restaurant built on the concept of low-and-slow cooking, smokes its pork over applewood for 12 hours before plucking it by hand. The result? Pure pork bliss. Ideal in the sandwich ($5.95, $7.95 with sides), where the charred outside pieces mingle with the juicy insides in an exquisitely proportioned pile of BBQ, this meat is so good you might not even put the side of barbeque sauce to use. Ordering up the platter version allows you to better appreciate the tinge of peppery vinegar that keeps the pork's sweet, smoky flavor in check.

Pork belly sandwich at Blackbird
We all know about the magic of bacon, but still so many of us wrinkle our noses at the notion of noshing on pork belly. Even the squeamish should be able to appreciate that this full-flavored, fatty cut is?for all purposes?just a slab of unsliced bacon.

Chef Paul Kahan has long been one of Chicago's most visionary pork innovators. Newbies should go for the organic pork-belly sandwich ($13). Served with a spicy cabbage slaw, a touch of dijonnaise and side of garlic frites, this impossibly tender sammy packs a flavor that ham can't touch. Pork bellies have reached new popularity recently, with ambitious chefs trying to up the gourmet factor with fancy frills. But Kahan knows that there's still something so quintessentially blue-collar about the pork-belly ? something that begs for it to come served on bread.

Lechon jibarito at Borinquen Restaurant
Nothing says "celebration" quite like heaving a pig onto a spit and lighting a fire. Few pork dishes can hold a candle to that old-fashioned charcoal-roasted flavor that comes from it, and Chicagoans are lucky to be surrounded by Cuban, Filipino and Puerto Rican eateries that serve up lechon, a crackling, flavorful meat that's heavy on the fat and has a depth of flavor unmatched by even the best cuts of ham.

It's tempting to just pile a roasted pig's tender meat high on a plate and go to town, but Borinquen had a better idea: It claims to have invented the jibarito ($6.95). This untidy meal features smoky piles of lechon between two garlicky fried plantains. Slippery, sloppy and dripping with fatty juices, it's basically a heart attack on a banana.

Honey jalapeno pork chops at Cafe 28
Once a mainstay on American dinner tables, pork chops now conjure up visions of clogged arteries and love-handles, and the embarrassment of gnawing on a bone in front of strangers sway many diners toward more refined entrees.

But Cafe 28's honey jalapeno pork chops ($19.50) are worth the hassle. Two gargantuan chops of pork are marinated in honey and jalapeno sauce, grilled, baked and served over a generous pillow of honey-mashed sweet potatoes. The high fat content in the chops brings out that salty flavor that pork-fiends crave; the honey glaze makes for a sweet counterbalance and the jalape�o adds a Cuban kick.

Dye-ing for more Easter fun? Peep these features:

Easter Brunches
Ethnic Easter Eats
Easter Egg Hunts
Easter Dessert Recipes

Check out more from Centerstage's 2010 Chicago Easter Guide.

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Where to Celebrate Pi Day in Chicago

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

You might think March 14 is just another day - but to math nerds, it's got major significance. Taken numerically, the date (3/14) represents the first few digits of pi, the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of a circle. To celebrate Pi Day, several area eateries known for their circular food are offering some pretty sweet specials. Look who's a nerd now, huh?

Bleeding Heart Bakery
In addition to its regular lineup of organic offerings, this Roscoe Village bakery will have pie cupcakes and "pi" cookies on Sunday.

Cafe Selmarie
The Lincoln Square cafe will offer special deals on apple, turtle and cherry streusel pies from 9 a.m.-8 p.m.

John's Place Roscoe Village
The comfort food spot will add a special Chicken Pot Pi to its dinner menu on Sunday (it's open 5-9 p.m.).

Molly's Cupcakes
No real specials at this Lincoln Park bakery, but Molly's classic cupcakes will be decorated (with the pi symbol, we imagine) for the occasion.

Morton's of Chicago
Stop into any area Morton's location for a $3.14 slice of Key Lime Pie on Sunday. And heck, get a steak, too.

My Pie
On Pi Day, guests will receive a slice of pizza and a drink for just $3.14 at either the restaurant's dine-in location in Northbrook or its take-out spot in Bucktown.

Sweet World Pastry
This Polish bakery will offer cherry and apple pies for just $4.99 each from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, and will give away free kolaczki (flaky pastries) to anyone who arrives at the bakery at 3:14 p.m.

Tank Sushi
What does Asian-inspired pie taste like? Find out at this Lincoln Square sushi spot.

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Ethnic Easter Eats

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: courtesy of Bridget Montgomery

We make a lot of hullabaloo over Christmas here in the states. But in many parts of Europe, Easter is the most anticipated Christian holiday?a celebration of spring and rebirth marked by feasts of foods as drenched in symbolism as they are in frosting. Whether you're in Greektown or Little Italy, during Holy Week you'll find some native version of sweet leavened bread: the staff of life. Here are a few bakeries cooking up traditional Easter treats to help you break fast like they do back in the old country.

Tsoureki and koulourakia from Artopolis Bakery Cafe
Sweet, yeasty loaves of Greek tsoureki are braided around hard-boiled eggs?dyed crimson on Holy Thursday to signify the blood of Christ?and eaten on Easter Sunday to break the Lenten fast. Artopolis Bakery, a bastion of Greek tradition, offers two sizes of the strikingly attractive bread. Pick up the bigger loaf and partake in another Greek tradition: cracking your egg against a friend's. The person holding the un-cracked egg enjoys good luck for the rest of the year.

Pick up a dozen koulourakia for dessert to set, as Artopolis GM Maria Melidis puts it, a "proper Easter table." The little butter cookies are baked year-round, but get dressed up in twists and braids for the holiday, and make the perfect complement to an after-dinner Greek coffee.

Hot cross buns from Bennison's Bakery
Hot cross buns are an English tradition, baked and immediately consumed on Good Friday. Elizabeth I can be credited with giving the buns special Easter significance when, in 1592, she banned them except on religious holidays and special occasions. The yeasty buns, spiced with cloves, cinnamon and allspice and topped with a cross, were considered good-luck charms?hung from rafters to ward off fires, kept aboard boats to prevent shipwrecks, even buried in stacks of corn to scare away pests.

photo: courtesy of Bridget Montgomery

Legend has it that hot cross buns baked on Good Friday never get moldy, but you won't have the will to test the theory if you pick up Bennison's version: a spicy, sticky delight that doesn?t skimp on the icing. Traditionally, the buns are baked from simple, yeasty dough and sweetened with dried currants, but the award-winning bakers here also offer jazzed-up versions christened with custard, apple, raspberry or cherry jelly.

Pastiera from Original Ferrara Bakery
The origins of pastiera are a matter of debate; did the egg-laden cake start as a pre-Christian rite of spring, offered to Ceres by a pagan priestess? Or was it first baked at the behest of a Neapolitan nun to capture the essence of Easter in its citrus fragrance? Regardless of which story you prefer, this rich egg-and-ricotta dessert is now an Easter tradition in Naples.

Slow-cooked, fermented grains and a balance of aromatic spices mark an authentic pastiera. It's a labor-intensive recipe, made with love and guarded jealously by housewives throughout Naples. Fortunately, you need only go as far as Little Italy to taste the Ferrara family's version of this creamy, cheesecake-y delicacy.

Makowiec and paczki from Pasieka Bakery
Although makowiec is commonly served alongside the Polish sausages and sugar lamb at Easter dinner, this sweet roll isn't strictly a holiday dish. Lucky for us, it's available at Pasieka Bakery year-round. The dense loaf is made from rich sour-cream-and-egg dough, rolled with a crumbly filling of poppy seeds, raisins and nuts and doused in lemon icing. Pasieka displays rows of handsome makowiec in its front window. If your Polish is rusty, you may have to do some pointing to complete your purchase; the authenticity of the baked goods here is without question.

And if you didn't get your paczki on Fat Tuesday, or if you haven't tasted the jelly-filled doughnut the angels eat in heaven each day, Pasieka has an assortment to counteract the effects of all that fasting. Dye-ing for more Easter fun? Check it out:

Easter Brunches
Ham Alternatives
Easter Egg Hunts
Easter Dessert Recipes

Check out more from Centerstage's 2010 Chicago Easter Guide.

Check out Centerstage Chicago food and drink deals!

Pure Gene-ius

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:00:00 CST

photo: Gene's Sausage Shop (via Facebook)

For years, the Lincoln Square location that's garnered the biggest crowds has been the Chicago Brauhaus, with spillover crowds heading between there and the Huettenbar. But a newcomer to the area has had locals packing the aisles since its opening late last year. Gene's Sausage started off serving the heavily Polish neighborhoods out on West Belmont, but customers had been clamoring for a more central location. They got what they wanted when the Lincoln Square stalwart, Delicatessen Meyer, decided to close its doors, with Gene's moving into the vacant space.

The shop recognized the big shoes it had to fill; the first thing customers of the new location (dubbed Gene's Sausage Shop at Delicatessen Meyer) likely noticed upon entering was the former resident's vintage neon sign, hanging prominently in the heart of the space. It's details like that which have already endeared Gene's to local shoppers. Even with many nearby options - including HarvesTime, Lincoln Square Meat Market, and Jewel-Osco and Dominick's within walking distance - the shop has attracted a large daily crowd. We spoke with Yolanda Luszcz, manager and general go-to person for Gene's, to find out what the attraction is.

What made you and your family decide that you wanted to open up your second location in Lincoln Square?
We have another location at 5330 West Belmont, and we've been there for 38 years now. We have been looking for a very long time for a location that's closer to the downtown area. We had a lot of customers that were coming to our store there. We spent a lot of time searching and looking for the right location, and when we found the location here in Lincoln Square, it made sense to us for several reasons.

One being that it used to be a delicatessen for many years, that spanned several different owners and had a built-in clientele. Secondly, it's been a very entrepreneurial district ? lots of mom-and-pop-type stores. Thirdly, the street itself is very European in nature, with the pedestrian area, and it's also very family-oriented with lots of families located in close proximity.

Were you conscious of the history that Delicatessen Meyer had with residents in the neighborhood?
We used to shop there with my mom when it was Deli Meyer because they had some products we didn't have in our other location. We were familiar with the store ? I can't say we stopped there every single week, but over the years we have come to the location to shop.

I ask about that because of the decision to keep that amazing Deli Meyer sign and its very prominent placement in the new Gene's. Who made the call to mount it front and center?
I would say it was the entire family's decision. My brother and myself were the ones that were actually searching for the second location for many years, and we actually contacted Alderman Schulter two years prior to purchasing this space about another location to talk about zoning, because it wasn't currently zoned for a business. We stopped by, we spoke with him, and that other location didn't turn out to be okay in terms of changing zoning, and it was he who called us two years later and brought this location to our attention. We came, we checked out the space, and it made sense.

I think that the fact that there was a history here definitely helps with the decision in terms of whether or not the space makes sense for us. And the fact that it was a European deli was also important to us because they had similar products and we felt that hopefully the customers that frequented the other store would frequent this one as well.

I've heard that come summertime there will be a rooftop deck, but I haven't seen a lot of details about it yet. Can you share a little more about what you're planning for the upper level?
We plan to do a rooftop open-air beer garden/wine and small plates [space]. In terms of the look and feel of it, it'll be lots of trees, lots of flowers, a wooden deck. We want to be more communal in nature, so we're thinking about a communal table, sort of a rustic feel to it. It will be very interesting.

There are a lot of boutique locations around Chicago that specialize in one certain cuisine or heritage. It seems like you've focused on taking pieces from all of those and making a catch-all kind of place where you can get a little bit of everything, but still with some things you can't find anywhere else.
At this location, just because of the old German heritage, we did heavy up a little bit more than our other location on German products. Some of the things that we strive to do here is to carry a product line of things that are hard to find at other locations and really specialized. Some things that stand out are our smoked meats that we make here ourselves. We have 40 varieties of ham, sausage and deli meats that we prepare with our own sausage makers who are actually from Europe. And we also have a prepared foods case with all sorts of interesting European salads, cabbage rolls, crepes, pierogi, those types of items.

I wanted to commend you on your single beer collection. You've amassed a very interesting collection of European beers including some gargantuan 51-ounce selections, which I haven't seen anywhere else at all.
When you open up a store, it's a living, breathing thing. You have to alter your product mix, see what things are moving, what aren't moving, and then switch them out based on what people are looking for. We introduced those because we have those at our other location, and I have to tell you, we can't keep them on the shelf. I've spoken to customers that have lived in Moscow and other places in Russia, and they say it's a very popular beer there, and actually tastes great. The Arsenal and the Baltika are amazing beers and very well-known in Russia.

Any other products that might be hard to find anywhere else or that you're especially proud of?
Our potato sausage, which is a Swedish-style sausage. It's potato in a natural casing with sauteed onions and bacon. Another thing that I think is very difficult to find is our chocolate selection. We have so many different imported European chocolates and candies and chocolate gift boxes and cookies for the holidays and even the non-holiday periods.

We're still perfecting everything. Up through the holidays we weren't serving sandwiches and salads to go, and that's something that we're going to be focusing on right now is to try and put in a nice sandwich menu for the lunch crowd. And in the summer we'll have some tables and chairs out front and have a little sidewalk cafe.

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