Grab a fork… it’s Deep Dish time again! I’ve got all the latest goings on and what’s coming up in the food world of Chicago and its North Shore.
Royster with the Oyster!
It’s the 25th Annual Oyster Fest at Shaw’s Crab House(21 E. Hubbard St., Chicago, 312-527-2722) from October 14 to 18, culminating in the Royster with the Oyster Block Party on October 18. Enjoy food, cocktails and live music acts including this year’s headliner, iconic Chicago bluesman Buddy Guy. Groove while sucking back fresh oysters on the halfshell, fish tacos, Maine lobster roll, jambalaya and more. General Admission tickets cost $30.
Family Fun at Dewey’s
I met my niece and one-year-old great nephew at Dewey’s (667 Vernon Ave., Glencoe, 847-835-6225), which opened in downtown Glencoe this summer. It’s an adorable little place, providing “fresh food for all of us” with timely counter service, cute graphics and a sunny attitude. You’ll find burgers, hot dogs, chicken (wings, tenders and fried breast), thin-crust pizza, French fries (done Italian, Greek or Buffalo style, as well as naked or with Merkts cheddar), and huge salads on the menu, with plenty of frozen sweet goodness (froyo, ice cream, gelato and sorbet) to seal the deal. They even deliver between 5-9 p.m.
Pumpkin Time
It’s that time of year again, with a nip in the air and Pumpkin Spice Lattes making their annual appearance. There will be plenty of pumpkin happening at the Highwood Pumpkin Fest October 17-19 in downtown Highwood. Last year, more than 100,000 people attended over the three-day fest, which took the world record for the most people carving pumpkins simultaneously, and the longest line of pumpkin pies. This year’s fest will have nightly lightings, a parade, 5K/10K Fun Runs (and Kids Dash!) as well as carved pumpkins galore and gourmet market vendors.
Craft Beer at Prairie Grass
October brings Craft Beer Tuesdays to Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, 847-205-4433). Every Tuesday, starting at 5 p.m., guests aged 21 and over will be given complimentary 2-ounce tastings of three fabulous craft beers, which will change each week. Considering that there are 5 Tuesdays in the month of October, you’ve got the opportunity to taste 15 great craft beers! A $10 minimum food order required.
Restaurant Opening in Evanston
La Macchina Café is set to open October 14 at 1620 Orrington Ave. (no phone or website yet). Owners and Evanston residents Chris Casas and Marco Ferrarini have been hard at work building out the space of this European-style café that will be open for breakfast (morning pastries and coffee drinks), lunch (salads, soups, pizza and piadini), dinner and weekend brunch. There will be free bar snacks from 4:30-6:30 p.m., so you know that it will be a popular after-work stop! Casas also owns La Macchina Italiana, a vintage Italian motorbike dealership in Skokie, and previously owned the Italian Coffee Bar (now the Other Brother Coffeehouse).
Bluegrass Wine Dinner
Enjoy the lovely California wines of Bennett Lane at a Wine Dinner Monday, Oct. 14 at Bluegrass(1636 Old Deerfield Rd., Highland Park, 847-831-0595). Chef Brian Bishop will team with Bennett Lane owner Jade Lynch for a 5-course meal featuring lots of red meat and red wine, topped off with chocolate. Sounds delish! It starts at 6 p.m. and costs $65 per person.
Buh-Bye
Fox & Obel Market has shut its doors…permanently. Intel says that their outstanding debts, which were sizeable, made it impossible for them to continue operating. That makes me sad, because it was once a fantastic market, filled with hard-to-find items, a terrific bakery/patisserie, butcher, cheese monger, etc. But competition from other downtown markets was fierce, and I guess they couldn’t keep up.
Baume and Brix has vanished from River North; in its place is The Grid (351 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, 312-321-1351) with Chef Dirk Flanigan (Henri, The Gage) serving as opening chef. It will have a neighborhood sports bar atmosphere with industrial-chic décor and a wood-fired pizza oven. Hmmmm. Sounds a lot like many other places in River North—but Flanigan’s food is always solid, so it’s worth a visit.
Did You Know…
That October is National Dessert Month, National Cookie Month AND National Vegetarian Awareness Month? And that October 17 is National Pasta Day? Start carbo loading RIGHT NOW.
