LEYE's Seaside's opens March 13

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Seaside's,1962 N. Halsted, from the Oystah Bar team, opens March 13. The venture is a LEYE carryout and delivery only restaurant, offering guests a taste of summer at the Jersey Shore. 

Menu favorites include Miller Farm's chicken brine, double-battered fried, seasoned boardwalk style ($15, half/$28, whole); Duroc baby back slab ribs slow-cooked four ways achieve desired tenderness with with homemade sauce and brown sugar ($15, half/$28, full) and grilled split Maine lobster with garlic-herb butter, lemon and Parmesan cheese ($28).

Sides include: Better Than Grandma's mac & cheese (elbow macaroni, cheddar and Parmesan cheeses, toasted planko, $5); creamed corn ($5), house-made coleslaw ($3) and Boardwalk fries with Old Bay aioli ($7). Dessert is coconut cake ($7, per slice). View complete menu.

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Jazz Brunch Returns to Prairie Grass Cafe

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Prairie Grass Cafe, 601 Skokie, Northbrook, Saturday Jazz Brunch returns 10:30 a.m. March 4. Featured guest is bassist Jason Batson. 

For a truly unforgettable experience Batson's son Jared, chef/owner of Nomad Food Company, joins PGC chefs Sarah Stegner and George Bumbaris in the kitchen. 

For the occasion, Batson, who also worked at PGC, has created exclusive dishes including the Nomad Breakfast Bowl (mixed grains, roasted celery root, shallot, warm cider vinaigrette, gin-cured gravlax trout, soft boiled egg and 'popped' wild rice). View regular brunch items. Brunch hours are 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

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Coq d'Or's St. Patrick's Day Menu

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Coq d'Or at The Drake Hotel, 140 E. Walton, introduces a St. Patrick's Day menu, available March 11-18.

Items include corned beef burger (50/50 corned beef hash patty, apple cider slaw, aged white cheddar, red onion, lettuce, fried egg, hole grain honey Dijon, served on a potato bun; $18, pictured); lamb and beff Shepard's pie ($16) and steamed baby corn beef and  cabbage with red bliss potatoes, baby carrots and peas ($15).  Irish whiskey cocktails will be a plenty along with Guinness  beer.

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Kit Kat Lounge's Ariana Grande "Dangerous" Brunch and Ticket Giveaway

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Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted, hosts an Ariana Grande-themed brunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 12. The brunch is in conjunction with the singer's performance 7:30 p.m. March 14, United Center, 1901 W. Madison. A pair of tickets will be raffled of during the event.

Kit Kat's specialty cocktail for the event will be the "Dangerous Woman" (Stoli vodka, Fleur elderflower liqueur, splash of white grape juice; $7). Diva Madam X will impersonate the pop princess with live performances.

Chef JoAnn Witherell’s midday menu a la carte menu. Featured items include chicken and waffles ($16), Rice Krispie French toast ($12), crab cake Benedict ($14), and chilaquiles ($14). An unlimited cocktail package (bloody Marys; mimosas; sangria; bellinis) may be added for $14.95 per person. 

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2017 Chefs Hall of Fame Inductees

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Chicago chefs: Charlie Mok; Jim Kallas; Pierre Pollin; Sebastien Canonne (French Pastry School) and Fabio Viviani (pictured)will be inducted in the Chicago Culinary Museum Chefs Hall of Fame. The ceremony, open to the public, takes place 5-9:30 p.m. March 8, The Crystal Gardens at Navy Pier, 700 E. Grand. 

Previous winners include: Charlie Trotter (2006), Jimmy Bannos (2007), Chef Rick Bayless (2008), Carrie Nahabedian (2009), Art Smith (2010), Priscilla Satkoff  (2011), Graham Elliot with Chef Jacquy Pfeiffer (2012), Paul Kahan, Alain Roby, Richard Melman, Hans Aeschbacher, the late Chef Jean Banchet, and the late Chef Louis Szathmary (2013), Stephanie Izard, Gale Gand, Chef Michael Kornick, Phil Stefani and Larry Levy (2014), and Tony Mantuano, Judy Contino, J. Joho, Georges “Kiki” Cuisance, Steve Lombardo and Hugo Ralli (2015). 

 Tickets are $60, includes open bar and food samples from area chefs. A portion of the sales benefit the CCM, as well as raise funds for scholarship for student chefs. Purchase here.

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Hakka Bakka Gears Up for March Madness

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Hakka Bakka, 1251 W. Fullerton, brings back it's popular March Madness dish: Chicken Tikka Wings coated in a spicy tikka sauce, available March 12-April 3. The wings, dine-in or delivery, will be priced $8 for eight pieces, includes choice of a tikka ranch or cilantro aioli dipping sauce (extra sauce is available for $0.75-cents each).

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Mardi Gras on Division Street

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It's not be the Big Easy, but you can register for a chance to win a trip to New Orleans' French Quarter during Mardi Gras on Division, taking place February 26 at six participating bars in the Division Street Entertainment District: The Lodge; Mother's; Mother's Too; She-nannigans; Hangge-Uppe  and Coconutz.

To be eligible to win the trip participants must collect Mardi Gras beads from each location. The drawing for the winner takes place midnight at Coconutz. Must be present during drawing to win prize.
The trip, via Amtrak includes train fare and a two night stay in the French Quarter's Hotel Monteleone located in the heart of the historic district at 214 Royal Street. 

In addition to the drawing each bar will host it own Mardi Gras festivity including a limbo dance at Hangge-Uppe.

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Chief O'Neill's Irish Wedding Giveaway

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Siobhan and Brendan McKinney of Chief O'Neill's Restaurant will foot the bill for an authentic Irish wedding for one lucky couple. The complimentary wedding ceremony will include that will include judge, flowers, music and a complete dinner for 10 (additional friends and family can be included for a per person fee. The evening wedding service will be held March 7 beginning with cocktails at 6 p.m. The ceremony starts at 7 p.m. followed by dinner.

Interested parties must describe in 500 words or less why an Irish wedding is their dream come true in essay or video form. Entries must be received by February 26. Only one entry per couple permitted, which must include the names of both the bride and groom and contact information. Submit entries at www.chiefoneillspub.com. The winner will be notified February 28. 

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Celeste Adds More Class to its Stylish Bar

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Celeste, 111 W. Hubbard, named "River North's Sexiest 5 A.M. Bar "by Chicago Magazine, opened its renovated bar that features Louis Sullivan tiles, Victorian-style seats, an urban garden and ivy covered walls and is now enclosed and functional year round.  

The four-floor story American-style bar, which is reminiscent of turn-of-the century Chicago bar, is known for its innovative cocktail programs using fresh ingredients and small batch spirits, which includes large format cocktails served in unique copper vessels in the shape of gnomes, owls and double punch bowls) current selections are: Neon Mule (Absolut Elyx, Leblon Cachaca, Kaffir lime, ginger, citrus); Troubled Times (Belvedere, Diplomatico Blanco, cinnamon, passionfruit, vanilla, citrus, Angostura); Lunch Break (Absolut Elyx, grapefruit, mint, Thai basil, black pepper, citrus) and Disco Jungle (Dark Rum, Absolut, pineapple, Cocchi Rosa, black walnut, citrus, mint). 

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Kit Kat Club's Academy Awards Events

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Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club, 3700 N. Halsted,  hosts an Academy Awards party kicking off at 5:30 p.m. The event will feature 'The Academy" cocktail (Stoli vodka, Le Fleur liqueur and a splash of white grape juice, $7) along with a round of award nominee-inspired Cast Your Vote shot specials that include: La La Land (Stoli Blueberi, lime juice, simple syrup, sugar rim); Arrival (Stoli Vanil, tropical pineapple liqueur, grenadine); Lion (Stoli Citros, hazelnut liqueur, sugar rim, lemon); Hell or High Water (Coffee liqueur, Bailey's, whipped cream); Hidden Figures (whiskey, peach liqueur, cranberry, sugar-free Red Bull); Moonlight (Jim Beam Apple, Apple Pucker, cranberry) and Hacksaw Ridge (Jagermeister, peach schnapps, cranberry) and Manchester by the Sea (Stoli Razberi, lime, triple sec, simple syrup Fences - Stoli Ohranj, Grape Pucker, sugar rim). All selections are $4 each.


Chef JoAnn Witherell will offer a Steak Oscar special (6 ounce filet, crab cake, grilled asparagus and bearnaise, $28), and other theatrical themed food specialties.

Guest can catch the red carpet runway action along with awards ceremony on the club's seven HD projection screens. Diva Dulce Andrews performs live during commercial breaks.

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Mike Sheerin Takes Over as Executive Chef at Rockit

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Mike Sheerin is the new executive chef at Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard. Sheerin, has launched a new menu featuring items that include: crunchy as fried chicken with pickle juice hot sauce, available in five piece mix of white and dark meat ($18); 10-piece ($32); smoked salmon salad and puffed quinoa with baby greens, radicchio, Green Goddess dressing ($14) and grilled beef and bacon meatloaf with caramelized ketchup and curry cauliflower. View complete menu. 

Also, Rockit launched a new rewards program earlier in the month, sign up by February 28 to earn $15. See complete details.

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Kzuki Ramen & Izakaya Anime Movie Night

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Kzuki Ramen & Izakaya, 1482 N. Milwaukee, introduces anime movie Tuesday Movie Night, starting with "My Neighbor Totoro 7 p.m. February 21. Classic anime movies will be shown on 120-inch projector screen and include: Kiki's Delivery Service (February 28)," "Castle in the Sky (March 7)," Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (March 14)," "Howl's Moving Castle (March 21)," and "Spirited Away (March 28)."

During the event guests will be feted to complimentary order of edame with purchase of $1 Kirin Ichiban drafts along with a selection of small plates for $3, including: Takoyaki Octopus Dumplings (octopus dumplings with aonori, okonomi sauce, mayo and bonito flakes), Chicken Wings (house made crispy marinated chicken wings topped with a citrusy garlic glaze), Toasted Onigiri (traditional Japanese rice ball), Geso Karaage (traditional deep-fried squid tentacles with Japanese citrus and chili pepper), available 5 p.m. to closing.

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The Lodge Tavern's $6,000 Drink

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The Lodge Tavern, 21 W. Division, kicks off its 60th anniversary celebration with a party and, a very special drink, beginning 9 p.m. February 27. 

The Woodford Reserve "On The Rock" (Woodford Reserve Distillery's award winning Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, poured over diamond-shaped ice, served with a diamond "stand-in" on the side (along with a certificate for the actual gem from the Chicago Diamond Center in Chicago's Jewelers Row District). 

The drink, which will be available throughout The Lodge Tavern's 60th anniversary year, sells for $6,000. Proceeds from the sale of the drink benefits Misericordia Heart Of Mercy, a community of care that maximizes potential for persons with mild to profound developmental disabilities. Those who purchase the drink will receive a letter of acknowledgement and thanks from Misericordia.

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