Oyster Bah Throws a Crawfish Boil

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Oyster Bah, 1962 N. Halsted, is throwing a crawfish boil. The Louisiana-style dish (1-¼ lbs fresh LA crawfish, andouille sausage, red bliss potatoes, and corn on the cob) will be offered along with the regular dinner menu March 15; $29.95.  

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Sketchbook Adds Dark Brews and Limited Edition

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Sketchbook Brewing Company, 821 Chicago Evanston, has dark beers on tap that include: Bud's Corvus Irish Stout ($1 off all draft pours of this beer). Available for the first time in bottles; Brunswick Mum Schwarzbier (black lager); Turbulence Imperial Stout; Common Culture Oatmeal Stout and Ripe Now Porter with cranberries. 

In a collaboration with Candlelite Pizza, the brewer will feature, for a limited time, Road Trip IPA (All Michigan beer with Mackinac hops). View complete tap and bottle list.

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Rockit Bar & Grill hosts "Chi-Rish," a St. Patrick's Day Party

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Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard, hosts "Chi-Rish," a St. Patrick's Day Party, March 11. Early risers will be feted to a complimentary buffet 7-9 a.m. In addition, Jameson  and Irish Car Bombs will be $8; Bud Light $5 and Guinness, $7 through the day.

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Bar Lupo Goes Green for St. Patrick's Day

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Bar Lupo, 217 W. Huron, becomes O'Conall's Bar for St. Patrick's Day, March 11. For the occasion the bar launches an Irish menu that includes: corned beef meatballs, soda bread and Lupo fish and chips. Festivities begin at 10 a.m. and continue through closing.

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Sarah Mispagel Named Sepia's New Pastry Chef

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Sarah Mispagel is Sepia's 123 N. Jefferson, new executive pastry chef.

Chef Mispagel, formerly of Nightwood, is not only in charge of the Sepia pastry team but will be creating globally inspired desserts at the new sister restaurant, Proxi, scheduled to open late spring. 

Among the chef's dazzling desserts is the black walnut cake with rum soaked raisins and carrot cake ice cream.

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City Winery's Riverwalk Cafe St. Patrick's Day Celebration

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City Winery Chicago Riverwalk, 11 W. Riverwalk South, on the south bank of the Chicago River between Dearborn and State Streets, opens for St. Patrick's Day festivities 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 11.

From the venue's outdoor cafe area guests (arriving early) will have front-row viewing of the dyeing of the river. In addition visitors will also be feted with Irish food, beverages and live music from Rick King’s Royal Hustle, who will play two sets: 11 a.m. to noon; 1-2 p.m.

Food specials include a corned beef sandwich served with chips, a corned beef plate with potato salad and cabbage and Vegetarian Irish Stew made with root vegetables, mushrooms, faro, leeks and kale. In addition the house wines, Lagunitas Brewing Company’s Cappuccino Stout, Imperial Stout, Pilsner and IPA along with regular and Irish coffee from the West Loop’s Sparrow Coffee, will be available.

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Duck Inn JUSTIN Wine Pairing

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Executive Chef Kevin Hickey of  Duck Inn, 2701 S. Eleanor with JUSTIN Winemaker Scott Shirley hosts a five-course pairing 6:30 p.m. March 8. A reception is at 6 p.m. The cost is $120.

Among the wine samples will be Isosceles ranked sixth best wine in the world by Wine Spectator Magazine. See menu pairings below. Limited space. Tickets.

Menu:
BERGAMOT CURED PRAWNS
Celeriac & Green Apple Mousseline | Lemon & Black Garlic Gremolata
Sauvignon Blanc

CEDAR SMOKED SEA TROUT
Creamy Farro & Black Currants | Cardamom
Justification

GLAZED DUCK BREAST
Braised Fennel | Vietnamese Mint & Culantro | Violet Duck Jus
Cabernet Sauvignon

COCOA SPICED HANGER STEAK
Fondant Potatoes | Creamed Kale & Bacon
Isosceles

PERSIMMON BREAD PUDDING
Cracked Pepper & Vanilla Custard
Savant

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Geja's International Women's Wine Festival

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Geja’s Café, 340 W. Armitage, as part of its evolving worldly wine festivals, salutes women of the wine world with a two month-long International Women’s Wine Festival this March and April. 

The wine menu will feature an entire page of wines devoted to notable women of enology from around the world. Red selections include Cloudline Pinot Noir 2014 (Willamette Valley, OR); Elena Walch Schiava, 2013 (Alto Adige, Italy) and Thomas Goss Cabernet 2014 (Australia). 

White selections include: Fiddlehead  Cellars Sauvignon 2014 (California); Chelhalem Reisling 2014 (Wilmette Valley, OR) and Stag Leap Cellars Sauvignon 2014 (Napa Valley, CA)

During the event Geja’s Café will donate $1 for every bottle ordered to Deborah’s Place, Chicago’s largest provider of supportive housing exclusively for women. Purchase tickets.

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Forbidden Root's Ping Pong Night

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Forbidden Root, 1746 W. Montrose, host its second Ping Pong Night, 8-11 p.m. March 7. The outing gives guest the opportunity to unseat Ping Pong Master Robert Finkel. Competitors in the friendly competition will win Forbidden Roots merchandise. 

During the event Forbidden Root beers will be available for $5. 

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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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