2010 A La Card Restaurants Announced!

If you are not familiar with the A La Card, you should take a moment to check out their website (www.alacardchicago.com). Each card in this 52 card deck features a $10 coupon to a different non-corporate, chef-owned restaurant in the city of Chicago.  The deck retails for $30 and is good for one year.  Last year, I saw the return on investment within the first couple of months - after just three uses, you have made your money back!  Also, $1 per deck is donated to Common Threads - a non-profit organization that educates children on the importance of nutrition and physical well-being.

See the website to pre-order your 2010 deck (or purchase the 2009 deck for only $10).  The full list of 2010 restaurants was just published and is listed to the left.

36th Annual Professional/Amateur Wine Tasting Contest

Geja's hosts a wine tasting contest this Sunday at 1p that pits amateurs against the pros.  

Think you have what it takes to earn the coveted crystal decanter? Would you like to have the bragging rights as the winner of the oldest wine tasting contest in the country?

You'll have one hour to determine the grape variety, producer, region, sub-region, country of origin and vintage of eight unidentified wines.

Please call Geja's Cafe to RSVP. Both professional and Amateur division winners take home a trophy

*To be classified as an amateur you must not have been employed in the restaurant or any wine related business for at least three years.

Sunday, November 1st
1:00 PM

Geja's Cafe
340 West Armitage

Chicago, Illinois 60614

773-281-9101

Free Shipping from Bon Appetit Wine Shop

I constantly get emails from various online wine purveyors listing incredible sale prices. For me, these sales pose only one problem - shipping costs! I hate paying shipping on wine. I have belonged to a wine club or two in my life, but the cost of shipping is largely offset by the fact that you are getting multiple bottles of wine, often at a discount. That price becomes more difficult to stomach for just one or two bottles.

I was pleased to see that with the launch of Bon Appetit's new online wine shop through Uncorked.com, they are offering free shipping on orders of any size through December 10, 2009. Use promotional code BAFREESHIP at checkout. You’ll find seasonal and themed wine sets and clubs and Bon Appetit bonuses with purchase.

Slow Food Thanksgiving

Slow Food Chicago encourages you to buy your Thanksgiving turkey locally. There are many farmers in the tri-state area who are conscientious stewards of land and animals, and are committed to sustainable and humane livestock production. Not to be forgotten is that the food they produce is delicious. The farmers listed on Slowfoodchicago.org have turkeys, ham, geese, ducks, goats, and lamb available for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Freaktoberfest Beer Tasting

Get a jump start on the Halloween weekend this Thursday and pick out your seasonal brew of choice at the Freaktoberfest Beer Tasting at Cigars and Stripes in Berwyn. For $20, you can sample Freaktoberfest Blood Red Lager from New York's Shmaltz Brewing Company's Coney Island line, plus more than 60 other seasonal and craft beers. Shmaltz Proprietor, Jeremy Cowan, and other brewers will be on-hand to present their beers.  Includes sideshow-style entertainment and Coney Island hot dogs for sale. Costumes are encouraged.

October 29 : 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Price:$20

Cigars and Stripes
6715 Ogden Avenue
Berwyn, IL 60402

708-484-1043

Salon Series at The Bluebird on Sundays

Art - Food - Wine

The Bluebird pairs up with two local artists, Mary Livoni and John Coyle Steinbrunner, to bring you food, beverages and art with The Bluebird Salon Series: "Picture This Like This: Paintings by Mary Livoni and John Coyle Steinbrunner." The series will take place at Bluebird located at 1749 N. Damen Ave. starting at 7 p.m. with aperitifs. At $30 a person, individuals will receive a night of family-style food/wine/beer pairings, and a short presentation from Tom MacDonald, owner of Bluebird. The series will take place on Sundays, Nov. 8 and 15. Each night will follow the following schedule: 7:00 – 7:30: mingling and aperitifs 7:30 – 8:15: shared dinner 8:15 – 8:45: artist discussions 8:45 – floor opens to a public discussion   This event includes a half hour reception with Gran Sarao Cava (sparkling wine), a family-style dinner with tomato, basil, arugula, mozzarella & pine nut flatbreads, goat's cheddar mac & cheese, Lake Superior whitefish in lemon butter & capers, sauteed grean beans with shallots & garlic, Kasseler-style grilled pork chop (smoked & brined) with Riesling-poached pears and apple cider sauce, house frites with aioli and curry ketchup, and desserts of assorted bakalva with nuts and dried fruits.  Wines will be paired with the three main courses (flatbreads, whitefish, and pork chop).  A brief discussion of the wine pairings will be conducted by Tom MacDonald, owner of Webster's Wine Bar and The Bluebird.  The meal will be accompanied by a discussion of the artworks by artists JC Steinbrunner and Mary Livoni with a question and answer session.  Call for reservations. The Bluebird 1749 North Damen Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60647 773.486.BIRD (2473)

Sheffield's 2nd Annual Harvest Party

Sheffield's celebrates fresh hops with their 2nd Annual Harvest Party, featuring "wet hop" beers (also known as Harvest beers) on Monday, October 26th.  Last year, all 3 Sierra Nevada wet hops were featured (New Zealand, Washington, and even one from their very own Brewery Grounds).  At Sheffield's Lakeview, 7 p.m. - close.

Sheffield's Lakeview

3258 N. Sheffield Avenue

Chicago, Illinois

773-281-1989

Gioco's 10th Anniversary Tasting Menu

Gioco is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago and happens to be the spot where my husband and I had our first date, celebrated our first anniversary and held our wedding rehearsal dinner. Not only is the rustic Italian food wonderful, but the atmosphere (complete with converted speakeasy) and location (close to museum campus) make for the perfect date spot.

Celebrate Gioco's 10th anniversary from Sunday, October 25th, through Thursday, October 29th with a special pre-fixe menu. The five course menu comes with your choice of a glass of Pinot Grigio or Sangiovese for only $30!!!

Anniversary Menu

Mortadella Involtini
bufala ricotta, bell pepper, garlic toast point
Pumpkin soup with pistachios
Lamb ravioli with lemon egg sauce
Wild striped bass
Fennel, carrots and gregola apple cream sauce
Fig Tort
blackberry pastry cream

Gioco

1312 S. Wabash
Chicago, IL 60605
312.939.3870

Local Great American Beer Festival Picks

I was walking by Piece Brewery the other day and noticed that they had a sign up announcing their gold medal win at the Great American Beer Festival for their Top Heavy Hefeweizen.  As a matter of fact, that was the ONLY gold medal given to an Illinois brewery.  I figured it would be good for everyone to know which other local and Midwest beers brought home a medal last month at the GABF.  

Illinois

Brewery	Beer	State	Medals	Category
Goose Island Beer Co.	Red Woody	IL	Silver	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer
Goose Island Beer Co.	IPA	IL	Silver	English-Style India Pale Ale
Goose Island Beer Co.	Demolition	IL	Silver	Belgian and French-Style Ale
Piece Brewery	Top Heavy Hefeweizen	IL	Gold	South German Style Hefeweizen
Piece Brewery	Fornicator	IL	Bronze	Bock
Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago	The Crow and The Sparrow	IL	Silver	American-Belgo-Style Ale
Rock Bottom Brewery - Chicago	Drunken Angel	IL	Bronze	Specialty Beer

Michigan

Brewery	Beer	State	Medals	Category
Arcadia Brewing Co.	Cereal Killer Barleywine	MI	Gold	Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer
Bastone Brewery	Saison Du Bastone	MI	Bronze	French- and Belgian Style Saison
Bell's Brewery, Inc.	Bell's Lager Beer	MI	Bronze	Bohemian Style Pilsener
Big Rock Chop House & Brewery	Red Rock	MI	Silver	Belgian-Style Lambic or Sour Ale
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales	Bam Biere	MI	Bronze	Session Beer
Kuhnhenn Brewing Co.	4th Dementia Old Ale	MI	Bronze	Old Ale or Strong Ale
Redwood Brewing Co.	Cream Stout	MI	Silver	Sweet Stout
Shorts Brewing Co.	Bloody Beer	MI	Silver	Experimental Beer
Sullivan's Black Forest Brew Haus & Grill	Pirate's Porter	MI	Bronze	Robust Porter

Indiana

Brewery	Beer	State	Medals	Category
Barley Island Brewing Co.	Dirty Helen Brown Ale	IN	Gold	American Style Brown Ale
Brugge Brasserie	Diamond Kings '09	IN	Bronze	American-Style Sour Ale
Brugge Brasserie	Bad Kitty	IN	Bronze	German-Style Sour Ale

Ohio

Brewery	Beer	State	Medals	Category
Fat Head's Brewery & Saloon	Up In Smoke	OH	Silver	Smoked Beer

Wisconsin

Brewery	Beer	State	Medals	Category
Capital Brewery Co., Inc.	Capital Bavarian Lager	WI	Bronze	Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest
New Glarus Brewing Co	Totally Naked	WI	Bronze	American-Style Lager or Premium Lager
New Glarus Brewing Co	Raspberry Tart	WI	Bronze	Fruit Beer or Field Beer
Rock Bottom Brewery - Milwaukee	106 Pilsner	WI	Gold	German-Style Pilsener
Titletown Brewing Co.	Dark Helmet	WI	Bronze	German Style Schwarzbier

Oktoberfest Beer & Food Pairings at Binny's Beverage Depot

Meet WGN Radio’s Greg Jarrett as he hosts a Beer & Food sampling that includes great brews from Barley Island, Hofbrau, Flying Don, Sam Smith and Lindemans.

October 29, 2009, Thursday at 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Binny's Beverage Depot
1132 S. Jefferson 

Chicago, Illinois, 60607

(312) 768-4400
www.binnys.com

American Craft Beer Expo at Binny's Beverage Depot (Lakeview)

Sample a collection of the best beer from the finest craft breweries in the country. Binny's will be pouring over 100 different beers, from old favorites to new, hard to get and seasonal selections. Space for this tasting is limited and reservations are required. $15 W/Binny’s Card / $20 non-members.

October 21, 2009, Wednesday at 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Binny's Beverage Depot (Lakeview)
3000 N. Clark 

Chicago, IL 60657

Contact: Call (773)935-9400 or email bmorgan@binnys.com for more information.

www.binnys.com

Western Michigan Top Unsung Beer Destination

"Ale Street News" recently named Western Michigan one of the top unsung beer destinations in its October/November 2009 issue.  This might come as a surprise to those of us who are from Michigan or live close by and see the state as the beer destination of our Midwestern world.  On last count, there were 77 microbreweries and brewpubs in Michigan.  The three big names in Western Michigan brewing (and those that drew the spotlight of "Ale Street News") are Bell's, New Holland and Founders.  Another fantastic reason to visit this region of the state are the miles of beautiful lakeshore and plentiful wineries, which make for a scenic and festive long weekend away from Chicago.

Wine, Waves & Witches

Saturday, October 31 (Halloween Cruise) 3:00pm-5pm
Wendella Boat Tours hosts a 2 hour wine tasting architectural cruise featuring wines from Kafka Wine Company and food from Buca di Beppo. Prizes will be given to the best costume on board.

Limited Space available.

Saturday, October 31 (Halloween Cruise) 3:00pm-5pm

$59.00 per person

Wendella Boats
400 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611
P. 312-337-1446

Halloween at the Tasting Room

The Tasting Room at Randolph Wine Cellars will be hosting a Halloween Masquerade, featuring an open bar with a dedicated champagne bar, sommelier selected wines and craft beer.  There will also be a Halloween cocktail menu designed by Master Mixologist Nick Luedde, a martini luge and passed hors d'oeuvres by Executive Chef Marc Kuchenbecker.  Costumes and masks are welcome.  Prizes for best costumes will be awarded.

Limited amount of tickets available.  Reservations required - 312.942.1313

Saturday, October 31st
8p-midnight

The Tasting Room
1415 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60607
www.thetastingroomchicago.com

The Bad Apple's First Beer Dinner

Lincoln Square's newest gastropub, The Bad Apple, will host their first beer dinner on Monday, October 19th from 7-10p. Five-course menu includes Rarebit - Pranqster Ale-braised pork, Swiss brioche served with a Black Velvet Beer Cocktail of stout and prosecco; Scallop Carpaccio - pickled shallot and radish salad, Petrus Aged Pale Ale mignonette; Graham Cracker-Crusted Sweetbread - pumpkin ravioli, candied pecan, pomegranate served with Southern Tier Pumking Imperial Ale; Charkoota Rye-Braised Rabbit - root vegetable mélange, stone ground mustard spaetzel, braising jus; Foie Studded Burger Wellington - truffled fingerling potato and black trumpet mushroom ragout, petite salad, crispy shallot, foie gras demi-glace, served with beer to be announced; and, Beer Bread Pudding - Founder's Breakfast Stout beer bread, dried cherry and chocolate, caramelized apple, vanilla ice cream, apple cider vinegar caramel, served with Arcadia Ales Cereal Killer Barley Wine Ale and Duchesse de Bourgogne. 

Cost is $50 per person.
Reservations required. Call (773) 360-8406.

LOCATION:
The Bad Apple
4300 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60618
ph. 773-360-8406

The House of Glunz Oktoberfest Celebration

The House of Glunz will host an Oktoberfest Celebration featuring German, Alsace and Austrian wines, along with imported beers and hearty fare. The event takes place this Friday, October 16th from 6:30p-9p.

A spread of German and Austrian foods will be enjoyed with a selection of Riesling, Gruner Veltliner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, plus a variety of famous imported beers. Gebhardt’s sausages, juniper spiced sauerkraut, cheese noodles and smoked fish paté are all on the menu. All beverages served will be available Sale Priced. Reserve now for this seasonal feast.$35/person

RESERVE at 312-642-3000 or wine@thehouseofglunz.com OR PURCHASE TICKETS through the website link below.


thehouseofglunz.com/frida...

Free Oysters at "Royster with the Oyster" Kick-Off Party

There is no better accompaniment to oysters than beer. Celebrate the start of Shaw's annual weeklong "Royster with Oyster" festival at Goose Island on Thursday, October 15th from 5:30p-7p. The event includes free oysters from Shaw's (with purchase of Goose Island beer), opening 'Slurp-Off' qualifier at 6p and an appearance by the Roysterettes.

Goose Island
1800 N Clybourn

www.gooseisland.com

Happy Birthday to Drinks Over Dearborn!

Drinks Over Dearborn celebrates their one-year anniversary this evening with a guest appearance by Alpana Singh - Master Sommelier and host of "Check, Please."  The store will host a wine tasting class, with food and prizes tonight from 6-9 p.m. for a cost of $25 per person.
Call 312-337-WINE for more info.

I visited this boutique wine, beer and spirits shop for the first time last weekend.  They normally do free tastings on Saturdays and it is definitely worth checking out.  We did a pumpkin beer tasting there. I like the fact that you can buy the craft beers by the bottle, so that you can try a wide variety without being tied down to a six-pack.  If you decide to check it out, keep in mind that it is on the second floor of a residential-type of building and that you have to ring the buzzer to be let up.

Birthday Event is from 6-9p on October 13th.  Check out their website for weekly tasting info.

Drinks Over Dearborn
650 N Dearborn St (at Erie)
Chicago, IL 60654
www.drinksoverdearborn.com

How to Cook the Perfect Chicken Wing

This is not an instructional post, as I have not yet perfected the chicken wing myself. However, if you are dying to know, get yourself to the Stretch Run Sporting Club and Grille on October 14th from 6p-9p for a hands-on cooking class in the art of chicken wings. The class is free, so you can spend your money on bets (it is an OTB afterall). RSVP is required.


544 N. La Salle St. 

Chicago, IL 60610

312-644-4477

www.stretchrunchicago.com

Chef Erwin's Farmer's Market Tour/Cooking Class

Chef Erwin Drechsler of erwin cafe leads a tour of the Lincoln Park Farmer's Market on Saturday and provides tips on buying food.  The market tour is followed up with a cooking class on Monday at erwin cafe, followed by a three-course dinner with wine.

Tour, Class, Dinner and wine cost is $50 per person.  Call 773-528-7200 to register.

9:00 a.m. Saturday, October 17th - Lincoln Park Market tour (meet Erwin at the entrance to the farmer's market at Armitage and Orchard adjacent to Lincoln Park High School)

6:00p.m. Monday, October 19th - cooking class at erwin cafe followed by dinner.

erwin
2925 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60657
www.erwincafe.com

Swig and Pig Brewmaster's Dinner

Osteria Via Stato will host a beer reception and seated, family-style dinner with Jim and Jason Ebel of Two Brothers Brewing Co.  The seasonally inspired pork dinner will be paired with local, craft beers from the brewery.  Call Allison Gallese at 312-642-8450 for reservations.

Wednesday, October 28th
6:30p Beer Reception
7:00p Dinner

$60 per person.

Osteria Via Stato
620 N State Street
Chicago, IL 60610

Fall Beer Tasting at the Bluebird

Tuesday, October 13th
7:30 - 9:30 pm

The Bluebird will host a tasting of seasonally influenced beers on Tuesday. Learn to discern between dopplebocks, schwarzbiers and oktoberfest lagers. They will also be featuring Harvest ales.


Over a dozen beers from around the world will be sampled, just in time for Halloween.

Flatbreads and snacks will also be served.

$25 per person, reservations recommended. Call at 773.486.BIRD or email info@bluebirdchicago.com to hold a spot.

Bonsoiree

Every time there is a lot of hype surrounding a restaurant and it receives wonderful reviews, I set my expectations too high and am almost always disappointed.  We try to eat at one nice restaurant that we have never tried each month and it has been a good long time since I have tried anything worth highly recommending to others.  I was long overdue for a really good restaurant experience.


Last night Dan and I ate at Bonsoiree for our anniversary.  All of the stars aligned for what could have been unmet expectations.  I have wanted to try this restaurant for about a year, I made the reservation months in advance after many failed attempts and have seen the restaurant being highly praised in many media outlets.  And yet our experience at Bonsoiree is worth writing about, because it was probably the best restaurant that we have been to in Chicago in about 2 years.  It was well worth the wait. 


We tried the seven-course menu, which I have captured below:

I would have like to have eaten ten of every item on that menu, with the exception of the Scallop S'Mores.  I do love scallops and enjoy sweet/savory pairings, but if given my choice, I will take a marshmallow with my chocolate and graham cracker over a scallop any time.

20 Wines for $20 - Autumn Harvest Wine Tasting

Osteria Via Stato will host an Autumn wine tasting from 5:30p-7p on October 14th with special guest Alpana Singh (Master Sommelier and host of "Check, Please!").  Sample 20 wines that pair well with seasonal fare and meet with wine experts and importers.  Autumn-inspired passed 'small bites' by Executive Chef David DiGregorio will also be provided.
Cost: $20

For reservations, call Allison Gallese at 312-642-8550.

Osteria Via Stato
620 N State Street
Chicago, IL 60610

New Buffalo Harvest and Wine Fest

The New Buffalo Harvest and Wine Fest takes place on Saturday, October 10, 2009, from noon to 10:00 p.m.

With the Lake in full view from Lion’s Park (and the beach just across the street),  sample a bounty of local cuisine, locally grown produce, and, most importantly, locally cultivated wines.

There will be a variety of wines from several local vintners – the Round Barn Winery, Free Run Cellars, Lemon Creek, Domaine Berrien, St. Julian Winery and Tabor Hill - all in an outdoor settting.

Music, wine & beer tasting, farmers and pumpkin patch, free kids activities, hay rides, pumpkin painting, prizes, food, and craft vendors and beautiful views of the lake for a suggested donation of $5.

New Buffalo is located about one hour from Chicago in Southwest Michigan.

Finally A Pig Roast for Oenophiles

September was rampant with pig roasts that ran the gamut from the straightforward pig in a smoker accompanied by PBR at Smoke Daddy (the one that I happened to attend) to the more upscale Head-to-Tail event at Bluprint, which combined five-course dinner and craft beer pairings.  There were countless other pig roasts throughout the month, many of which were posted on this blog, but each event on my radar had one thing in common - BEER!


Beer and pig is great pairing, but I know plenty of people who would love a pork roast, minus the beer factor.  This weekend, Lush Wine and Spirits on Halsted will answer a lot of prayers with their pig roast and Rhone wine pairing.  The cost is $50 and in addition to wine and pork, there will be a spread of Mediterranean sides. This is their last pig roast of the season.  I am sorry I am only now catching on.  Call (312-738-1900) or email (erin@lushwineandspirits.com) to RSVP.


Pig Roast
October 10, 2009
6-9p


Lush Wine and Spirits
1257 S Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60607
 

Three Floyds Brewery Tour

There will be a bus trip to Three Floyd's Brewery (www.threefloyds.com) in Munster, IN departing from Paddy Long's at 11:45a on Saturday, October 10th. The bus returns at approximately 4:30p. Call Paddy Long's to sign up (773.290.6988)
Cost: $20 (includes beer on the bus, roundtrip bus ride and brewery tour)


Paddy Longs
1028 W Diversey
Chicago, IL 60614

Shaw's Oyster Festival Brewmaster Dinner

Shaw's Crab House Chicago and Goose Island are teaming up to produce a beer dinner on October 22nd. Just in time for Royster with the Oyster week (October 15th-23rd)!  The event details from their website are below:

Time: 6:30pm

Date: October 22, 2009

Location: Shaw's Crab House
Cost: $64.99, all-inclusive

Event description:
Come Join us for an evening of great food and beer pairings as the restaurant hosts a special beer dinner at the Oyster Hall of Fame in Chicago. The six-course menu, prepared by Chef Arnulfo Tellez, features the season's freshest ingredients, which Shaw's Sommelier Steve Tindle pairs with Goose Island Beers. The event begins at 6:30 pm with an Oyster Reception, followed by dinner at 7:15 and discussion led by special guest, Greg Hall, Goose Island Brewmaster. Space is limited and reservations are required. Call Shaw's at 312.527.2722 to make your reservations.

Menu
Island Creek Oysters on the Half Shell - Duxbury Creek, MA
Baked Oysters with Shrimp and Parmesan
Goose Island Sofie, Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale

Braised Prince Edward Island Mussels
Diavola Sauce
Goose Island Matilda, Belgian Style Pale Ale

Sauteed Florida Red Grouper
Pumpkin Seed Crust, Delicata Squash Puree and a White Bean & Bacon Sauce
Goose Island Juliet, Belgian Style Sour Ale

Spice Rubbed Grilled Skirt Steak
Sweet Mole Sauce
Goose Island Pere Jacques, Belgian Style Abbey Ale

Flourless Chocolate Cake
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Shaw's Crab House
http://www.shawscrabhouse.com
21 E. Hubbard St.
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2722

Goose Island Pairing at Kitsch'n

There will be a complimentary pairing buffet on Tuesday, October 6, 2009 from 4:30p to 6:30p at Kitsch'n River North.  You will be able to try samples of Goose Island's latest release - Sophie - along with discounted drafts of Goose Island IPA, 312 and Harvest Ale.  Complimentary menu includes Mama's Meatloaf, chipotle ribs, black bean and corn relish with tortilla chips, strawberry and mixed green salad, waffle fries with cheese and bacon and scallions chili.

Kitsch'n River North
http://www.kitschn.com/
600 W. Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 644-1500

OctoBeerFest 4-7, 2009 at David Burke Primehouse

Execute Chef Rick Gresh of David Burke's Primehouse has arranged 4 nights of beer pairing dinners, dubbed OctoBEERfest, from Sunday, October 4th through Wednesday, October 7th. These dinners feature a four course dinner comprised of local seasonal foods paired with the a few of the usual suspects of Midwest brewery fame - Two Brothers, Goose Island and New Holland. Perhaps the most interesting dinner will be on Sunday when Gresh's own homebrew recipes will be featured. The price for one dinner is $55, two dinners $95 and the schedule of beer dinners is $175. Pretty reasonable, given the amazing looking menus, which can be found in their entirety on Rick Gresh's blog.

Space is limited. Call David Burke's Primehouse at 312-660-6000 for more info.