Candy land comes to Chicago

Fun for the kids and the kid at heart Dylan's Candy Bar, 445 N. Michigan, is a magnificent addition to the Mag Mile. The retailer, which has been opening in stages since last November, finally showed off what's behind the doors of its colorful candy shop during a grand opening party May 14, 2015. From favorites like Jelly Belly to nostalgic designs of iconic candy such as Hershey's and everything in between, including an old-fashioned popcorn maker and cotton candy machine there is something for everyone. The store is three-levels, anchored by a ground-to-top-floor lollipop structure, of ---to use a candy phrase-- good 'n plenty treats. And yes, the shop carries Good 'N Plenty brand products. Dylan's has also put together special time capsule candy packages chock-full of goodies from various decades. If sweets aren't on your diet it's a fun place to shop for friends and family whether purchasing candy or candy and confection-themed products such as pillows, T-shirts and tote bags. dylans

 

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JW Marriott Chicago Salutes Former James Beard Winners

Chef Michael Reich of JW Marriott Chicago, 151 W. Adams, has designed a special menu for former James Beard winners, available through May 23. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/chijw-jw-marriott-chicago/

JW MARRIOTT CHICAGO - JAMES BEARD BITES MENU

HEIRLOOM TOMATO AND BURRATA CROSTINI ($12)

SQUACH BLOSSUMS AND TOASTED FENNEL

Inspired by Nancy Silverton, Pizzeria Mozza Signature Dishes – Fennel Sausage Pizza, Squash Blossoms Pizza

APPLEWOOD SMOKED BACON SCOTCH EGGS ($8)

WATERCRESS AND TRUFFLE HONEY

Inspired by Paul Kahan, Blackbird signature dish - prawn scotch egg

CHERRY WOOD SMOKED SHORT RIB SANDWICH ($16)

ROOT VEGETABLE SLAW HORSRADISH WHITE CHEDDAR, CORN MEAL DUSTED BUN

Inspired by Tom Colicchio, Craft - Braised Short Ribs

PAN SEARED ATLANTIC SKATE WING ($19)

TOASTED GARLIC RAPINI  BLACK GARLIC , POMEGRANITE, SAGE BROWN BUTTER

Inspired by Stephanie Izard, Girl & the Goat - Sauteed skate wing: broccoli-nectarine kimchee. dandy greens. caper brown butter

DESSERT

WHITE CHOCOLATE AND CINNAMON RISOTTO FRITTERS ($10)

TANGERINE CITRUS RELISH

Inspired by Melissa Kelly (chef), Primo - Sweet Risotto Fritters with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote

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The Smoke Daddy Turns 21

The Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division, rings in its 21st birthday May 21 with a bang. Guests will be feted to 21-cent Miller Lite Ponies (with food purchase). Complimentary cake will be served for the occasion with blues bands providing live entertainment during the day-long (11 a.m. to 11 p.m.) celebration. thesmokedaddy

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Craft Beer Week

Don't miss out on the beer specials during the Sixth Annual Chicago Craft Beer Week May 14-24, 2015. A list of participants and schedule of events is available at chibeer 

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Haagen-Dazs Shops Offer Free Scoop

Haagen-Dazs shops are giving away free kiddie-size ice cream, gelato or sorbet scoops served in a cup, sugar gone or cake cone, 4-8 p.m. May 12. As a special treat two new flavors from the artisan ice cream line will be available to select: banana rum jam and chocolate caramelized oat. To locate the nearest shop. visit: haagendazs 

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Roka Akor's New Spring Menu

Chef Ce Bian of Roka Akor Chicago, 456 N. Clark, brings spring dishes and cocktails to the table. The new fare, which incorporates seasonal ingredients, includes robata-grilled skate wing with wakoga, spring pea and radish ($28); Heirloom tomato salad, black garlic, shiso oil, soy vinaigrette ($15); hamachi and mebachi tartare with sudachi ($16) and uni nigiri with Wagyu tartare and caviar ($22).

Spring cocktails are the Aviation (Opihr Oriental spiced gin, Maraska Maraschino cherry liqueur, Marie Brizard Parfait Amour liqueur, lemon, Giffard Creme de la Violette and a brandied cherry); North by Northwest (Imbue bittersweet vermouth, BroVo lavender liqueur, grapefruit, lemon) and By Any Other Name, Classic Sour (Brugal extra dry rum, Combier Liqueur de Rose, grapefruit, lime, Peychaud's bitters, egg whites, rose water mist). Cocktails are $13 each. roka

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James Beard Eats Week

The NFL Draft isn't the only new event to Chicago for 2015. The James Beard Awards, the food industry's biggest event-- think of it as the Academy Awards of the food industry-- comes to town for the first-time ever and the city hosts James Beard Eats Week (April 30-May 8) for the occasion. Look for restaurants paying homage to the James Beard Foundation offering food and drink specials for the occasion. For a list of events, visit: jamesbeardeatsweek




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Rockit Hosts Beard & Boxing Event

Rockit Bar & Grill, 22 W. Hubbard, hosts Beard & Boxing, an event benefiting the James Beard Foundation 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. May 2. The evening includes a viewing of the highly anticipated Mayweather/Pacquiao bout along with a night of food specials created by Rockit Group restaurants, spearheaded by Chef/Partner and Beverage Director Kevin Hickey. Food stations, serving passed dishes, include host executive chef Amanda Downing, Rockit Bar & Grill, Duck Inn, Bottlefork, Sunda and Ay Chiwowa! The drink for the evening-- the Pugilist Punch (liqueurs infused with duck fat wash, botanicals and sparkling wine) Tickets are $125; $75 for James Beard members. rockit

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Stan's Donuts Partner with Signature Room

Stan's Donuts & Coffee has partnered with Chef Cardel Reid of the iconic Signature Room at the 95th for a limited edition treat for its monthly guest chef donut series. Chef Reid's creation, a cinnamon coffee cake old fashioned with a brown sugar-bourbon glaze, is available through May 1 at both the Streeterville and Wicker Park locations ($3.25). stansdonuts

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Get Untapped at Candemonium! Canned Beer Festival

Franklin Tap, 325 S. Franklin, hosts a canned beer event featuring about 50 varieties from over 20 breweries, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. April 22.  Below is a list of canned beers being offered (the asterisk denotes 16-oz offerings all others are 12-oz). franklintap

Wheat/Witbier:

4 Hands Contact High 5%

21^st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon 4.9%

Avery White Rascal 5.6%

*Bell’s Oberon 5.8%

*Brasserie Lefebvre Blanche des Bruxelles 4.5%

*Finch’s Wet Hot American Wheat 5%

*Half Acre Akari Shogun 5.5%

*Milwaukee Brewing O-Gii Wit 8.3%

New Belgium Snapshot 5%

Revolution Bottom Up Wit 5%

*Two Brothers Ebel’s Weiss 4.9%

Berliner Weiss/Gose/Radler:

*Evil Twin NOMADer Weiss 5%

Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose 4.2%

Boulevard Ginger-Lemon Radler 4.1%

Lager/Pilsner:

Ballast Point Longfin Lager 4.5%

New Belgium Shift Pale Lager 5%

Ska Mexican Logger Lager 5.2%

*Stiegl Goldbräu Märzen 4.9%

Firestone Walker Pivo Hoppy Pils 5.3%

Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils 5.3%

Sierra Nevada Nooner Pils 5.2%

Sixpoint The Crisp 5.4%

Pale Ale/IPA/IIPA:

Boulder Beer Hazed & Infused 5%

*Half Acre Daisy Cutter 5.2%

Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale 6.5%

Revolution Fist City 5.5%

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale 5.6%

*Tallgrass 8-Bit Pale Ale 5.2%

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA  7%

*Bell’s Two Hearted IPA 7%

*Finch’s Threadless IPA 6%

Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA 7.5%

*Half Acre Senita IPA 7%

Revolution Anti-Hero IPA 6.5%

Ska Modus Hoperandi IPA 6.8%

*Surly Furious IPA 6.2%

*Surly Overrated West Coast IPA 7.3%

Destihl Hoperation Overload IIPA 9.6%

*Evil Twin Molotov Lite IIPA 8%

*Finch’s Hardcore Chimera IIPA 9%

Amber/Cream:

*Brewery Vivant Big Red Coq 6.5%

*Finch’s Fascist Pig 8%

New Belgium Fat Tire 5.2%

*Oskar Blues G’Knight 8.7%

Anderson Valley Summer Solstice Cerveza Crema 5%

Sixpoint Sweet Action 5.2%

Cider:

2 Towns Ciderhouse Bright Cider 6%

*Seattle Cider Dry Hard Cider 6.5%

*Vander Mill Ginger Peach 6.9%

*Vander Mill Hard Apple Cider 7%

*Vander Mill Totally Roasted 6.8%

Belgian-Style:

21^st Amendment Monk’s Blood Dark Belgian Strong 8.3%

*Brewery Vivant Contemplation Bière de Garde 6.5%

*Brouwerij Het Anker Lucifer Belgian Strong  8%

*Brewery Vivant Triomphe BIPA 6.5%

Destihl Abbey’s Single 4.9%

Revolution A Little Crazy BPA 6.8%

St. Feuillien Saison 6.5%

*Surly Cynic Ale Saison 6.7%

*Tallgrass Velvet Rooster Tripel 8.5%

*Uncommon Golden State BPA 6.4%

Stout:

Anderson Valley Barney Flatts Oatmeal Stout 5.8%

*Finch’s Secret Stache 5.3%

Lion Stout 8.8%

Oskar Blues 2013 Ten Fidy 10.5%

Oskar Blues 2014 Ten Fidy 10.5%

*Tallgrass Vanilla Bean Buffallo Sweat 5%

Porter/Black/Scotch/Brown:

Revolution Eugene Porter 6.8%

21^st Amendment Back In Black 6.8%

*Surly/Three Floyds Blakkr 9.99% scheduled to arrive by 4/22

*Oskar Blues Old Chub Nitro 6.9%

*Surly Coffee Bender Brown 5.1%

Blonde/Steam/ESB:

Ska True Blonde 5.3%

Anchor Brotherhood Steam 5.6%

*Robinson’s Iron Maiden Trooper ESB 4.7%

*Surly Doomtree ESB 5.7%

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Cocktail Courier's Local Spring Collection

Cocktail Courier's spring lineup is now available. New beverage sets, designed by local establishments (prices vary), for the online retailer include: Paloma Diabla, Paul Sauter/Mercadito Hospitality (Tequila Avion, fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, Fever-Tree club soda, habanero cinnamon syrup, bottle of agave nectar, one whole grapefruit: https://www.cocktailcourier.com/drink/paloma-diabla-2); Horse's Neck, Derek Mercer/Spiaggia (Bulleit bourbon, ginger-cardamom syrup, Scrappy's cardamom bitters, three whole lemons: https://www.cocktailcourier.com/drink/horses-neck/) and Jockey of Norfolk, Meghan Konecny/Scofflaw (Bulleit bourbon, Combier Liqueur d'Orange, ginger syrup, Angostura bitters, two bags fresh mint: https://www.cocktailcourier.com/drink/jockey-of-norfolk/). cocktailcourier

Paloma Diabla

Horse's Neck

Jockey of  Norfolk

El Tapeo Tasting Event

Executive Chef Franco Diaz, El Tapeo, located in the Le Meridien, 2100 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, hosts a tasting event featuring crafted cocktails and authentic Spanish fare, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. April 22. Festivities include live entertainment. eltapeo

Firecakes' New Donut

Chef Jonathan Fox of Firecakes Donuts, 68 W. Hubbard, in a salute to National Peanut Butter Month, has created the honey glazed, hand-cut raised yeast donut with whipped peanut butter mousse and raspberry and blood orange jelly; $2.97. firecakes