New Restaurants
New Nightspots
Coming Soon
Anteprima
A Spiaggia/Carlucci alum promises seasonal, artisanal and affordable Italian cuisine and an all-Italian wine list at this Andersonville newcomer (5316 N. Clark St.) set to open later this month.
Good Deals and Other News
Another Farewell to Formality
On the heels of the Ritz-Carlton Dining Room closing, impending changes at Ambria have been prematurely outed – meaning no one yet knows (or is saying) what's coming, from concept to timing to potential name change. But it does seem to speak to a shift away from old-guard fine dining, and the Lettuce folks, with their finger on the pulse of public tastes, will no doubt cook up something suitable in the existing space.
The Chicago authorities are enforcing the foie gras ban, delivering their first citation on February 17th not to some haute hot spot, but rather to Hot Doug's encased meat emporium. Iconocolastic owner Doug Sohn quacked in the face of the ban by openly serving foie gras, and advertising it on his menu and Web site. As a result of the citation, his foie gras was confiscated and he faces a small fine and a court date on March 29th. For those going into foie sausage withdrawal, a suburban (i.e. legal) version is available at fRedhots and Fries.
Northwest Suburban fans of the pizza pot pie at the legendary Chicago Pizza & Oven Grinder Co. will find a similar version of the beloved indulgence, dubbed the 'pizza bowl,' at the new Chicago Pizza Company in Rolling Meadows, opened by a former principal using the same recipe.
Jean Banchet Awards
This year's winners of Chicago's annual culinary awards honoring original Le Français chef Jean Banchet and benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation are:
Celebrity Chef of the Year – Grant Achatz, Alinea
Best Fine Dining – Alinea
Celebrity Pastry Chef – Elissa Narro, Custom House
Rising Chef – Michael Carlson, Schwa
Rising Pastry Chef – Suzanne Imaz, NoMI
Best Sommelier – Craig Sindelair, Alinea
Best Neighborhood Restaurant – Le Bouchon
Rick Tramonto's wildly popular Wheeling newcomers, Osteria di Tramonto and Tramonto's Steak & Seafood, are purveying their own premium steak sauces, dry rubs, flavored sea salts, honey, extra virgin olive oil and red wine – in a discreet retail area, of course.
This gourmet fast-food newcomer will sell a St. Patrick's Day corned beef Reuben "hot dog" garnished with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing on a plain rye bun for $7 through March 17th.
Doing their part to honor a Super Bowl bet made by Mayor Daley with Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson, the Windy City's microbrew masters shipped off 41 cases of 312 Urban Wheat beer – which Peterson promptly donated to Indianapolis' "Blue Crew," the official Colts fan club.
How 'Bout a new name? Hearty Boys becomes "Home Bistro," with chef Joncarl Lachman buying out the original owners, who are focusing on their impending cocktails-and-small-bites boîte, Frill, and their new entertaining book, Talk With Your Mouth Full, The Hearty Boys Cookbook, due out this fall. Lachman has toned down the decor and beefed up the menu – but HB remains BYO with free corkage.
By setting aside $2 for every bottle of wine sold over the years, this Lincoln Park New American has raised over $40,000, which it will donate to Chefs Collaborative (a national network promoting sustainable cuisine and supporting local farmers while preserving diversity and traditional practices), Deborah's Place (supportive programs and housing for women transitioning out of homelessness) and the North Pond Conservation Council (co-managers of the North Pond Nature Sanctuary, including landscaping improvements, ecological projects and educational programs).
Mixologist Dan Sviland is creating his new martini menu by thinking locally – he's using small-batch local spirits from North Shore Distillery in Lake Bluff to create libations like the Cappuccinotini and Vanilla Ecstasy Martini.
This Little Italy classic serves up a complimentary chef's choice dessert for the whole table if patrons show their tickets to the NCAA Basketball Tournament.
Offers an all-you-can-eat "Wisconsin Fish Fry" on Fridays, with batter-fried cod, caraway-rye bread, zesty coleslaw, french fries and one of chef Heather Terhune's famous cobblers ($15 per person for lunch; $20 per person for dinner; 312-236-9300). Also on tap for Wisconsin Fish Fry Fridays are $3 Wisconsin brews.
Every Wednesday, the catch of the day at this suburban seafood duo is available as part of a $25 three-course prix fixe menu (Oakbrook Terrace, 630-279-0808; Tinley Park, 708-532-0200).