It’s Deep Dish time once again, and just in time for the holidays!
Not that you won’t already be busy with a plethora of parties, but news is still happening, and Chicago (and its suburbs) are hopping this month.
Openings and Closings
We say goodbye to Big Black Dog Tavern in Wilmette, which closed in October almost exactly a year after it first opened. Downtown Wilmette has become crowded with new restaurants (like Nick’s and The Avenue), and while they all seemed to thrive in the summer when everyone wanted to eat outside, it seems as if the community can’t support quite so many restaurants, especially all in a two-block radius.
Did you know that KamaKura Sushi House (1116 Central Ave., Wilmette, 847-256-6783) is under new ownership? Jeff and Jae Choi Kim took it over earlier this year. They still feature all of the classic sushi rolls and Japanese appetizers, but they’ve given the menu a fresh spin with the addition of Korean favorites, like Kalbi (marinated and charbroiled short ribs), Bulgogi, Bibimpap (the signature Korean rice dish), Spicy Hae Mul Tang (a Korean take on Bouillabaisse) and, of course, kimchi. Worth checking out.
Evanston is Hot, Hot, Hot!
The restaurant scene in Evanston is “en fuego!” I told you about four restaurant openings last month, but there’s more. Hoosier Mama Pie Company and Dollop Coffee and Tea Company (749 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-868-8863) have joined forces on the street level of the brand spanking new AMLI apartment building, and the result is kind of mind blowing. The. Pie. Is. Amazing. Actually, pretty much everything that I ate (on opening day, of course… why wait?) was delish, especially the melt-in-your-mouth quiche, the adorable handpies, and the apple-pear-cranberry pie. Did I mention the chocolate-chip scones? And they’re pouring Intelligentsia coffee. I was there three times in the first week. Don’t judge! Fight the crowds and thank me later.
And have you joined the North Evanston crowd beating a path to the new Leonidas Café (1907 Central St., Evanston, 847-686-0190)? We were fans when owner Marie Douailly opened her original store in Wilmette, directly across from the old MIB offices (THAT was dangerous, as you can imagine!). With this relocation, Marie was able to expand the offerings as the space is much more, well, spacious. I stopped in on a late Sunday afternoon expecting a lull, but silly me. The joint was jumping, with people amped up on hot chocolate and Marie’s lemon crepes.
Open Market Chicago
The website Tasting Table is hosting a new event in Chicago this year, and I’m pretty stoked about it. Open Market Chicago, a two-day artisan food fair, will take place December 6 and 7 at Block 37, 108 N. State St. in the Loop. Tickets cost $30 VIP/$5 General Admission and are available here . VIP tickets get you an hour of early access and four complimentary drinks from the Open Market bars, which will serve special cocktails and Negra Modelo beer. On Friday night, more than 30 Chicago chefs and pastry chefs will sell creative bites; Saturday is an all-day food bazaar featuring local vendors and restaurants selling both food to eat there as well as small-batch artisanal food products to go. Check here for an up-to-date listing of what you can expect to find there. Should be quite the scene.
Pagan Days
My favorite barkeeps, Anne and Cody Modeer of Evanston’s Ward Eight are partnering with Amy Morton and Nicole Pederson of Found for “a spirited night in every sense of the word!” Expect tarot card readings, festive bites and amazing cocktails. Anne and Cody will “school imbibers on the many wonders of white whiskey, sharing the magic of the spirit and the many ways to use it.” Sounds like good, clean fun to me. Best of all, proceeds from the magical evening will benefit Connections for the Homeless .
Last, but certainly not least in my affections, is the fabulous new exhibit, “Art and Appetite: American Painting, Culture and Cuisine ,” at the Art Institute of Chicago, which runs through January 27. Not only will you find the paintings of Wayne Thiebaud, Norman Rockwell, and Edward Hopper, but also sculpture and decorative arts from the 18th to 20th centuries. You can check out the companion online cookbook here .
As always, if you have any Deep Dish-appropriate gossip for me, send me a note! You can reach me at jchernoff@makeitbetter.net or tweet me @juliechernoff.
