—Kinton Ramen will open its second Chicago location this December in the city's Wicker Park neighborhood at 1426 N. Milwaukee Ave. The 2,100-square-foot Kinton Ramen Wicker Park features 54 main dining room seats and 11 open-kitchen bar seats. Pork and chicken broth are cooked for at least 20 hours to create the five styles served—original, shoyu, miso, spicy garlic and spicy jalapeno, which each including accompanying slices of pork belly or chicken breast slices. See KintonRamen.con/usa.
—There will be Breakfast with Santa at Hotel Zachary, 3630 N. Clark St., on Nov. 30-Dec. 22 ( Saturdays and Sundays only ). Admission is $60 each for those 13 and older, and $20 each for those 2-12. Reservations can be made at Resy.com . In addition, there's a Teddy Bear Tea Nov. 30-Dec. 29 ( Saturdays and Sundays only ), with seatings at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; admission is $35-$55 each; visit http://bit.ly/327F6mF.
—Chef Michael Lachowicz of George Trois Group is relaunching brunch ( and cutting prices ) at Winnetka's Aboyer, 64 Green Bay Rd., to broaden his offerings. He's also having a bit more fun with the menu, adding dishes such as lemon ricotta pancakes, quiche Lyonnaise and more. See GeorgeTroisGroup.com/aboyer.
—Kilwins is opening its newest storefront, which will be located at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave. The store, slated to open in early 2020, will offer a variety of products, including hand-crafted chocolates, hand-paddled fudge, original recipe ice cream, caramel apples, caramel corn and brittles, and many hand-dipped treats that are made in the store.
—AceBounce, 230 N. Clark St., will take an alternative route to celebrate Christmas this year and host "Festivus Brunch" every Saturday in December at 12-3 p.m. Guests can enjoy bottomless mimosas, Bloody Marys, brunch bites, ping pong, photo ops and plenty of throwback references for $49 per person. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/festivus-holiday-brunch-at-acebounce-every-saturday-in-december-tickets-83706120259.
—With the NBA season in full swing and the 2020 All Star Game coming to Chicago early next year, Michael Jordan's Steak House announced a new Michael Jordan and Space Jam inspired menu, featuring the Space Jam Burger, Mike's Secret Stuff Shake and hand-cut fries. These will be available in the Michael Jordan's Steak House bar during every Chicago Bulls home game through April 13. See MJSHChicago.com .
—Chef Ben Goodnick of Summer House Santa Monica, 1954 N. Halsted St., is hosting a four-course white truffle wine dinner on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7-9:30 p.m. Each of the savory courses will feature white truffles shaved tableside, and all of the dishes will be paired with both an Old and New World wines. The price of the dinner is $75/person, tax and gratuity not included; visit www.leye.com/event/old-vs-new-world-white-truffle-wine-dinner/ .
—Health-driven restaurant True Food Kitchen has officially opened the doors of its second Chicagoland location, at 105 Oakbrook Center, in Oak Brook. Some of True Food Kitchen's signature dishes currently available in Oak Brook include the ancient grains bowl, organic Tuscan kale salad, inside out quinoa burger, spaghetti squash casserole and the flourless chocolate cake. The new fall/winter menu spotlights seasonal ingredients in new dishes, such as the butternut squash pizza, seasonal ingredient salad, roasted Brussels sprouts, the Unbeetable Burger and Thai coconut sea bass, to name a few. See TrueFoodKitchen.com/oakbrook.
—Dos Toros is now an official partner with the Chicago Children's Choir; on Thursday, Dec. 5, its carolers will be singing to help spread the holiday cheer. At 12:15-1:00 p.m., customers can swing by the 1 N. Dearborn St. location to grab some lunch and donate at the same time. Ten percent of all proceeds that day will go toward the Chicago Children's Choir as a way to help inspire and change lives through music.
—At Brindille, 534 N. Clark St., Chef Carrie Nahabedian's holiday French afternoon tea will take place Dec. 6-7, 13-14 and 20-21. This special service includes a selection of exotic teas, scones, crumpets and jam, pastries, finger sandwiches and more. Tea service is $65 per person ( tax and tip not included ) and seating begins at 1:45 p.m. For reservations, call 312-595-1616, email brindillechicago@gmail.com or book directly via OpenTable by selecting the proper date.
—Lawry's The Prime Rib, 100 E. Ontario St., invites guests to celebrate another holiday season with festive events, including its 3rd annual Lunch with Santa on Saturdays in December. At 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Dec. 7, 14 and 21, families can bring kids wishing to talk with Santa to Lawry's to take a photo with Ole St. Nick and drop their Christmas wish list in Santa's mailbox. Lunch with Santa tickets are $40 per adult and $20 per child under age 12 ( including tax and gratuity ); to make reservations, call Lawry's at 312-787-5000.
—Cafe Spiaggia, 980 N. Michigan Ave., will be hosting its annual Feast of the Seven Fishes this holiday season, on Thursday, Dec. 19. Executive Chef Eric Lees will offer a seven-course menu of seafood that celebrates Italy's coastal bounty, and there will be seatings available at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Admission is $75/person; visit www.exploretock.com/cafespiaggia/ .
—Sicilian-meets-South Loop concept Pacino's has now opened at Roosevelt Collection. Chef Michael Serratore's menu includes dishes such as the Gnocchi alla Sorrentina ( $17 ), with homemade gnocchi, marinara sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil and garlic, and baked in a deep dish; Risotto Siciliana ( $19 ), with sausage, sweet peppers and a light tomato sauce; and Pollo Saltimbocca ( $18 ), with chicken, prosciutto di parma, white wine, sage and vegetables. Pacino's is currently offering dinner service starting at 4:30 p.m. daily and plans to eventually introduce lunch and weekend brunch services. See PacinosChicago.com .
—Lula Cafe, 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd., is hosting its fifth annual holiday bazaar Tuesday, Dec. 10, 5-9 p.m. There will be a selection of artisan goods, including items from local artists, designers and writers at the free event.
—Park Ridge spot Pennywville Station, 112 Main St., is hosting "Brunch with Santa" on Sunday, Dec. 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ( Normal brunch hours are 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. ) Ten percent of brunch proceeds will go to benefit Operation North Pole Chicago, an organization which fundraises throughout the year to bring magical holiday experiences to local children battling life threatening illnesses. See PennyvilleStation.com .
—The Union League Club of Chicago, 65 W. Jackson Blvd., has appointed Michael Ponzio as the club's executive chef following a nationwide search. Ponzio comes to ULCC after serving the members at Medinah Country Club as executive chef for six years. Prior to Medinah, Ponzio was director of culinary operations at Rosebud Restaurant Group and executive chef consultant for Portillo's Restaurant Group.
—The bar The Dandy Crown is opening soon at 694 N. Milwaukee Ave. Positioned in a stand-alone, two-story vintage brick building, the interior of The Dandy Crown seats more than 90 in a combination of bar space and lounging areas. The first floor features a fireplace lounge surrounded by mid-century modern, comfortable chairs and couches, while the second floor offers overflow and private party space with another full bar.
—Wicker Park spot Clever Rabbit announced Executive Chef Spencer Blake and a new menu under his direction. New dishes include celery root agnolotti, chicken schnitzel, roasted parsnips, brook trout and more. See CleverRabbitChicago.com .
—Through Dec. 24, Krispy Kreme's new holiday doughnuts are a trio of North Pole-inspired treats available at Chicagoland shops located in Homewood at 17815 South Halsted St., Evergreen Park, at 9150 S. Western Avenue; Hillside, at 110 S. Mannheim Rd.; and Chicago, in Block 37 at 108 N. State St. The collection features the new Original Glazed "Reindeer Doughnut," dipped in chocolate icing and adorned with pretzel antlers and a red nose; the fan-favorite "Santa Belly Doughnut," a Chocolate Kreme-filled doughnut; and the truly special "Present Doughnut," a festively decorated Original Glazed doughnut, filled with Original Kreme.
—The Albert, 228 E. Ontario St., is inviting diners in on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Items will include roasted beet, fig and endive salad, cheese and charcuterie, and house rolls; roasted heritage turkey; and buche de noel. See TheAlbertChicago.com .
—About Last Knife ( ALK ), 168 N. Michigan Ave., is offering its Beef Wellington catering package for the holiday season. Full Wellington ( $275 ) and Half Wellington ( $150 ) options are offered alongside chef-curated sides and house-made red wine bordelaise sauce. The Wellington is fully cooked to temperature to make holiday prep even easier so guests can reheat, slice, serve and relax with family and friends. To order the package, contact ALK at info@alkchicago.com or 312-392-2440.
—The upscale spot Everest, 425 S. Financial Pl., will offer "Christmas in Alsace" Dec. 4-28, 5:30-10 p.m. The multi-course menu features foie gras, pike, roasted goose and more. Dinner is $185 each, with wine pairings $98 per guest; see EverestRestaurant.com .
—For New Year's Eve, Filipino spot Cebu, 2211 W. North Ave., is urging people to celebrate with a Boodle Fight Feast. It features fried branzino fish with sweet and sour sauce, lumpia, pork BBQ, lechon belly, lechon manok, garlic rice and atchara ( a pickle made from grated unripe papaya ). See CebuChicago.com .
—The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence—which recognize culinary originality and talent in the Chicago area—announced the nominees for its 2020 honors. The winners across 15 categories—including Chef of the Year, Restaurant of the Year, Best New Restaurant and others—will be announced at the Jan. 19 Jean Banchet Awards, an event that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Just a few of the nominees include Chefs Erick Williams ( Virtue Restaurant & Bar ), Leigh Omilinsky ( Bellemore, Cold Storage, Swift & Sons ) and Jess Galli ( Middle Brow Bungalow ) as well as spots such as Brindille, Oriole, Galit, Kumiko, Gibsons Italia and Machine: Engineered Dining & Drink.
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