Dollop And Hoosier Mama Pie New Spot

Dollop Coffee House dollopcoffee.com and Hoosier Mama Pie hoosiermamapie.com  open another shop at 749 Chicago, Evanston, on Nov. 4 the shop will serve up coffee along side Hoosier Mama pies. The two are already a team with Dollop selling Hoosier Mama pies at its two locations, 345 E. Ohio and 4181 N. Clarendon. Can't get enough of the famous pie? Pick up a copy of Paula Haney's newly released Hoosier Mama Book of Pie: Recipes, Techniques, and Wisdom From the Hoosier Mama Pie Company ($22.65). Available for Kindle at  Amazon ($16.77) www.amazon.com.

Found Opens For Lunch

Beginning Nov. 5 Found, 1631 Chicago, Evanston, will offer lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The autumn-inspired menu will feature items such as apple and beet salad; roasted sweet peppers sandwich; ham and gouda flatbread and wallet and goat sausage stew. The restaurant's "Movable Feast" craft dinner series coninues Nov. 19 with North Shore Distillery and On Part Plant for a plant-base dish and crafted cocktail dinner at the Charles Gates Dawes House, 225 Greenwood, Evanston . http://www.foundkitchen.com

Photo credit James Atkins

The CHILL Is On

The 7th Annual CHILL, Chicago's largest international wine and culinary event, returns Nov. 14 at LuxeHome in the Merchandise Mart, 222 Mart Plaza. A VIP reception starts at 5 p.m. The tasting, featuring food and wine samples from Chicago's most popular chefs, mixologists and restaurants, begins at 6 p.m. Among the more than 40 participants will be Chef Richard Farina of  Moto and Chef Tim Havidic of iNG whipping up culinary specialties. Tickets are $115; $175 for tasting and VIP reception. Fifty percent of the proceeds from the event will be divided between three charities: Respiratory Health Association  lungchicago.org; Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra  cyso.org and the Lynn Sage Foundation  lynnsagefoundation.org.  http://www.luxehome.com/chill 

CH Distillery & Cocktail Bar Pickle Night

West Loop's CH Distiller & Cocktail Bar, 564 W. Randolph, hosts NYC Rick's Pickle Night 5-8 Nov. 1. Rick Field will be on hand to tout his famous product during the event. A sampling station includes People's Pickle (garlic dill), Phat Beets (aromatic pickled beets). Chef JP Doiron's pickle hors d'oeuvres include deviled eggs with Field's smokra (pickled parika okra). Pickle tini kits will be available for purchase; $45. Admission to the event is free. http://www.chdistillery.com

Porkchop Food Truck Keeps Rolling

Porkchop's, 941 W. Randolph,  food truck pops up noon to 2 p.m. Nov. 11  at the Hines VA Hospital, 2100 S. Fifth, Hines, IL. On the menu-- pulled pork and pulled chicken sandwiches along with mac and cheese. Follow the truck's movement @ChicagoPORKCHOP on Twitter.  http://www.chicagoporkchop.com

Rockit Burger Hosts It's First Annual Whiskey Festival

Pick your poison, uh, distiller of choice during Rockit Burger Bar's, 3700 N. Clark, first, and what is planned to be, annual Whiskeyfest 7-9 p.m. Nov. 8; $15. Sixteen whiskeys and bourbons will be featured during the event. Special guest Jane Connor from Maker's Mark will be on hand to discuss her brand. http://www.rockitburgerbar.com

Chef Alain Roby's New Cookbook

Pastry chef Alain Roby of All Chocolate Kitchen, 33 S. Third, Geneva, and current Chicago Culinary Museum's Pastry Chef of the Year, recently released the second edition of his popular dessert book Alain Roby's American Classics, Casual and Elegant Desserts ($39.95). Recipes include spoon biscuit blueberry cobbler a la mode, chocolate mashed potato cake and chocolate devil's food cake. HOme chefs still looking for the perfect holiday dessert Chef Roby has that covered as well with the apple butter pumpkin pie and caramel pumpkin flan recipes. http://www.allchocolatekitchen.com

Rhine Hall Opens Nov. 2

West Town's new tony brandy distillery, bar and touring facility Rhine Hall, 2010 W. Fulton, opens Nov. 2. The venue, owned and operated by father and daughter Charlie and Jenny Sloberg will feature a full brandy bar offering crafted cocktails. Brandy selection, which uses locally harvest produce, includes the Solberg family favorite apple brandy.  http://www.rhinehall.com

Macku Signature Now Open

Chef Macku Chan opens Macku Signature, 2925 N. Halsted. The Lakeview establishment is a larger space than Chan's popular Lincoln Park Macku Sushi, which was voted one of the top 20 Best Sushi Restaurant's in the U. S. by Travel and Leisure magazine. The restaurant is open seven nights a week. As part of the launch a prix fixe menu will be available 5-10 p.m. Nov. 5-10; $45.

PRIX FIXE MENU

Soup

Carrot

Pureed carrots, Alaskan king crab, white miso, cream, chives, rice cracker  

Nigiri with Toppings

Mebachi

Big eye tuna, shiitake mushrooms, black pepper sauce 

Hamachi

Yellowtail, sautéed banana peppers, Japanese black pepper 

Sake

Salmon, enoki mushrooms, truffle oil, chives 

Kanpachi

Amberjack, spicy octopus 

Ika

Squid, spicy tobiko sauce, basil 

Pairing: 2011 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc New Zealand  

Sashimi & Makimono

Suzuki

Pickled onions, chives, macedamian nuts, ponzu sauce  

Special Spicy Tuna

Sweet potato tempura & kanpyo wrapped inside out topped with spicy tuna  

Pairing: Junmai Ginjyo "Cherry Bouquet" Dewazakura Oka Sake  

Entree

Venison

Curry sauce 

Pairing: 2010 Vina Los Molles Syrah Chile

iNG Restaurant Turns Dali's Paintings and Words Into Culinary Works of Art

Surreal artist Salvador Dali is the inspiration for chef Tim Havidic's theme-tasting menu launching Nov. 19 at iNG Restaurant, 951 W. Fulton, $105. The creative dishes include Honey is Sweeter than Bulls Blood (roasted beets, beet sorbet with pine nut puree,orange zest preserves, pickled beets paired with bulls blood salad topped with a frozen beet vinaigrette); The Persistence of Memory (egg whites adorned with clocks, tortilla espanola with chorizo, onion and potato, roasted mushroom, smoked paprika sofrito puree and goal milk custard with goat milk creme fraiche); Tuna Fishing (fish stew with potatoes, onions, pimentos and tomatoes) and Architechtonic Angelus (brioche marshmallow mousse, turron made with pistachios, apricot, dried cherries and orange blossom with apricot wine sauce and honeyed pistachios). For a demonstration click on link  Watch this video of The Persistence of Memory in the making. http://www.ingrestaurant.com

Dali's "The Persistence of Memory" Painting

Wicker Park Chili Cook-Off

Do you have the right stuff-- for chili making? If not then just bring your palate to judge the, public voted on, Fifth Annual Wicker Park Chili Cook-off  1-6 p.m. Nov. 3 in the parking lot at Moonshine, 1824 W. Division when 16 professional and amateur cooks square off cooking showdown. Guests will sample varieties during an afternoon of fun and frivolity. The event  is also serves as an opportunity to help the less fortunate. Admission to the event is $5 for guests bringing a warm coat doantion; $10 without a coat, Both prices included unlimited chili sampling. Moonshine drink specials include a 22-oz Coors Light served in a stadium cup, $4; Miller Lite buckets, $12 and $4 Bacardi drinks. http://www.moonshinechicago.com

William Grant & Sons Cocktails Make a Splash At Meals On Wheels Fundraiser

The 25th Annual Meals on Wheels Celebrity Chef Ball, "Nourish 2013," is Oct. 26 at Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th Street. And while Chicago's best of best chefs whip up delectable dishes don't pass on the sassy and sexy cocktails mixed William Grant & Sons brands including Milagro, Tullamore Dew, Stolichnaya, Hendrick's and Glenfiddich. Featured cocktails include the Sicilian Sailor (Sailor Jerry, Averna, Carpano Blanco with a dash of  Bittermens tiki bitters. For the sensual palate try the rose petals and raspberries cocktail (homemade sweet vermouth, Peychaud bitters, raspberries and a magnolia shrub). The two-tier event features a tasting party at 8:30 p.m. ($150) and a VIP chef's table at 6:30 p.m. ($350, that includes the tasting party and entertainment). Live performances by Sugar High and DJ Lani Love. http://www.mealsonwheelschicago.org

Nando Milano Truffles Dinner Series

Executive Chef Alessio Vullo of Nando Milano Trattoria, 2114 W. Division, begins a fall dinner series starting with  Innamorati del Tartufo or Fall in Love with Truffles dinner  Oct. 23 and continues every Wednesday through Dec. 18. The four-course dinner, with wine pairing, is $120. A la carte options, for guests who want to sample a truffles dish but not indulge in the dinner series, are available for $35-$48. http://www.nandomilano.com

The Fall in Love with Truffles tasting menu schedule is as follows:

October 23: Tortelloni di Zucca con Fonduta di Fossa e Tartufo | House made Pumpkin Tortelloni with Cheese "di fossa" Fondue and Black Truffle 

October 30: Vitello ai Funghi Porcini e Tartufi | Milk-fed tenderized Veal Scaloppine topped with Porcini Mushroom and Truffles 

November 6: Tagliatelle al Tartufo | House made Tagliatelle Pasta with Truffles  

November 13: Filet Mignon delle Dolomiti |10 oz Prime Filet Mignon Wrapped with Italian Prosciutto, Mushrooms and Truffles

November 20: Ravioli al Parmigiano e Tartufi | Handcrafted Parmesan Ravioli with Truffles

November 27: Uova al Tegamino e Tartufi | Pan fried Eggs "al tegamino" topped with Black Piedmont Truffles

December 4: Pappardelle agli Asparagi e Tartufi | House made Pappardelle Pasta with Asparagus Porcini Mushroom and Dolomiti Truffles

December 11 & December 18: TBD