Pitchfork, a brick-walled, antler-adorned Avondale taproom from the crew behind Wrigleyville’s Rebel Bar & Grill, et al., is all about the hard stuff, promoting its selection of whiskey, bourbon, rye and scotch above all else; the ’hood’s indie-leaning neighbors rub elbows over Southern-tinged bar bites and big plates featuring daily specials that, when paired with accompanying drink deals, keep costs in check.

2922 W. Irving Park Rd.; 773-866-2010

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• – By 2018, 43% of Americans are expected to be obese. [NYDN]
• – Gordon Ramsay has lost his right-hand man. [Bloomberg]
• – The Senate is considering requiring beef to be tested for E. coli. [NYT]

• – Top Chef contestants aren't being paid for the TV dinners that feature their faces (and recipes). [Time]
• – First canned pumpkins, now an Eggo shortage looms. [NYDN]
• – The art of complaining to a restaurant. [Guardian]
• – A modest proposal for fixing restaurant and bar smoking bans. [Eater]
• – Related: the science behind banning smoking outside. [Time]
• – Ever wonder what it would be like to cook dinner for Thomas Keller? [Esquire]
• – Talking cooking with Coolio. [Fork in the Road]
• – NBC's newest cooking show, United Plates of America, will give away a four-restaurant chain. [Reuters]
• – Hey, so, while you eat that sushi, this guy here is going to swallow a sword. [WSJ]
• – Starbucks continues to roll out its unbranded coffee shops. [Diner's Journal]
• – If New York loses its lawsuit, Tavern on the Green will become Tavern in the Park. [Crain's]
• – Restaurants embrace Twilight. [NRN]
• – Martha Stewart is not a fan of Rachael Ray. [ABC News, via EMD and GS]
• – The Rolling Stones, the wine. [Examiner]
• – Pork belly and other over-served dishes. [Between Meals]
• – Students arrested for not paying their tip. [Philly]
• – Plastic wishbones: what will the kids fight over? [SE]

Vie

Photo: stevenjohnsonphotography

On Tuesday and Wednesday, December 15–16, get ready to go hog wild. That's when four of the city's top chefs are teaming up for “The Cadillac of Pig Dinners.” Both nights, Vie's Paul Virant, BOKA's Giuseppe Tentori, Perennial’s Ryan Poli and Top Chef winner Stephanie Izard will come together to cook a four-course dinner dedicated to the Hungarian woolly pig. The first night goes down at Western Springs' Vie, while the second will be held at Lincoln Park’s BOKA. Reserve your spot soon though, as both nights are quickly filling up (6:30 PM champagne reception; 7 PM dinner; $100 per person, plus $40 for optional wine pairings; call 708-246-2082 to reserve).

mado

Photo: stevenjohnsonphotography

Bucktown head-to-tail emporium mado is going whole hog with beef at its next family dinner on Sunday, December 6. Nearly every part of the cow will be served in dishes that evening – including options like beef shank terrine, bresaola, corned beef tongue bruschetta, steak and kidney pie and mincemeat pie (6 PM; $80 per person; 773-342-2340).

• – Marcus Samuelsson will be working the kitchen at Obama's first state dinner. [Obama Foodorama]
• – The fight for Cadbury intensifies. [WSJ]
• – Chipotle sets its sights on London, Europe. [NRN]

• – Costco drops Coke. [AP]
• – Related: Coke bottles, 1899–1986. [Pixdaus]
• – Milk producers wish they could sell their product "raw." [NYT]
• – Hooters is having trouble in Vegas. [Eater]
• – A canned pumpkin shortage looms. [Diner's Journal]
• – Putting things in perspective with the Fat Map. [HP]
• – Jamie Oliver wants to help you find a date. [Marketing]
• – A Shake Shack in Boston looks increasingly possible. [GS:B]
• – What a $20 Thanksgiving feast from Walmart gets you. [The Awl]
• – A word we'd like to quickly forget? "Koodie." [SE]
• – Foods named after people. [Mental Floss and Cakespy, via SE]
• – They found water on the moon...can you drink it? [Slate]
• – Making mushrooms with coffee grinds. [Chronicle, via Coldmud]
• – Making art with meat, some wires, a videocamera and a stove. [EMD]

Hearty

Photo: stevenjohnsonphotography

Food Network stars The Hearty Boys offer their New American take on comfort food (e.g. lobster pot pie, root-beer-BBQ pulled-pork sandwich) along with midpriced wines and fun cocktails at Hearty, a funky Wrigleyville haunt serving dinner and brunch; the interior features exposed brick and bright walls, glass artwork and a mahogany and tile bar, and outdoors there’s garden dining in season.

3819 N. Broadway; 773-868-9866

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Hearty

Photo: stevenjohnsonphotography

Big Star

Photo: stevenjohnsonphotography

Behind the scenes at new Bucktown taqueria Big Star lurks a powerhouse team – folks from avec, Blackbird, The Publican, Sonotheque and Violet Hour – who have joined forces to offer ultrafresh, affordable Mexican fare and a bar list focused on American whiskeys and small-batch tequilas; the divey-chic setting, with dangling lightbulbs, bare wood seating and a turntable on the bar cranking out obscure honky-tonk tunes, also includes a cash-only pickup window and seasonal beer garden.

1531 N. Damen Ave.; 773-235-4039

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Marigold

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

To celebrate its three year anniversary, Uptown Indian Marigold will be offering three- and four-course wazwan (Hindi for feast) November 18–21, priced at $24.95 and $39.95, respectively. Dishes will include samosas, Kalonji chicken, malai kofta and kulfi. In addition, special evenings are planned, such a "60640 Night" on Wednesday, when diners located in the restaurant's zip code will receive the three-course wazwan for $19.99, plus a complimentary cocktail tasting, and a "Girls' Night Out" on Thursday, with complimentary henna tattoos, bindis and bangles plus specially priced cocktails (773-293-4653; reserve online).

• – The FDA is targeting caffeinated booze. [WSJ]
• – Meanwhile, its efforts to ban eating raw oysters didn't work out so well. [NYT]
• – Burger King franchisees lose 10¢ for every $1 double cheeseburger sold. [NRN]

• – A special Subway franchise is set to rise up with the Freedom Tower in New York. [NYP]
• – U.S. chicken production is set to fall for the first time in 36 years. [Reuters]
• – Champagne sales are a bit flat these days. [NYT]
• – Musicians do covers of other bands' hits, why shouldn't chefs cover other toques' recipes? [Guardian]
• – Pinkberry's further expansion plans include Boston, DC, New Orleans and Mexico. [Eater]
• – Why we read cookbooks. [The New Yorker]
• – Want a new drug? Synthetic alcohol isn't out of the question. [Scotsman, via ColdMud]
• – Just when we've gotten used to twist-off tops, get ready for wine in a plastic bottle. [Stuff]
• – Things a restaurant patron should never do. [Applesauce]
• – Related, 10 dirty restaurant tricks. [Slashfood]
• – Peace through hummus. [Economist]
• – Hard to turn down a "love dessert" made with passion fruit and...Viagra. [NYDN]