Tickets are on sale for "Thank You For Being a Friend! A Golden Girls Brunch," which will be held Sunday, March 18, at 11 a.m. at the Ivy Room Chicago, 4 E. Ohio St. The Golden Girls-inspired, four-course champagne brunch/tasting menu will come with mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. Tickets are $75 each; visit https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3323835.
Gene & Georgetti Rosemont ( 9421 W. Higgins Rd. ) and Gene & Georgetti Downtown ( 500 N. Franklin St. ) will offer a special, four-course Valentine's menu for two on Friday, Feb. 9; Saturday, Feb. 10; and Wed., Feb. 14. Among the choices for the $57-per-person dinner will be bacon-wrapped scallops, shrimp cake ( downtown only ), strawberry salad, lobster ravioli and apple tart ( Rosemont only ), among other items. Visit GeneAndGeorgetti.com .
Stock and Ledger, 70 W. Madison St., is offering a four-course Valentine's Day Menu and bottle of prosecco for $150/per couple ( all inclusive ). Menu items will include oysters, duck breast, beet-and-goat cheese terrine and fondue. Stock and Ledger's happy-hour specials will also be available at 3-6 p.m., along with the regular lunch and dinner menus.
Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St., has a variety of offerings for Valentine's Day. They include pink strawberry dream crepes ( Flip Crepes ), fresh chevre cheese molded into hearts ( Pastoral ), charcuterie tray and champagne ( Pastoral ), red velvet stud muffins ( Vanille Patisserie ), a custom Love Truffle box ( Lolli + Pops ) and cymbidium orchids ( Les Fleurs ), among others. See frenchmarketchicago.com .
On Feb. 9-14, The Village, La Cantina and Vivere ( at Italian Village, 71 W. Monroe St. ) offer holiday menu specials, with the option to order from the full menus at all three restaurants. Menu highlights include lobster bisque; pollo alla florentine; crab-filled tortellini with grilled lobster tail and creamy tarragon sauce; and red velvet cake soaked in strawberry Godiva sauce, among other items. Visit italianvillage-chicago.com .
The Florentine, 151 W. Adams St., will offer its Valentine's Day menu on Feb. 10-11, 14, 17 and 18. Guests can try Capesante with Hudson Canyon scallops, celery root, Meyer lemon, capers, brown butter vinaigrette ( $19 ); and bistecca for two with 32-oz. Painted Hills NY Strip, confit red potatoes, creamed spinach, béarnaise ( $79 ), among other dishes. Couples who join The Florentine to celebrate Valentine's Day this year will also receive housemade strawberry lemon scones from Chef Zachary Walrath to take home and enjoy. Visit the-florentine.net/ or call 312-660-8866.
Fieldhouse Jones, 312 W. Chestnut St., will host a Galentine's Day event on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 6-9 p.m. Women are invited to grab their gal pals and head to the lobby lounge in the River North boutique hotel for an evening of nail-art manicures, Champagne, sparkling rose, card-crafting and eats from DropShot. Admission is $35 each; visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/galentines-day-at-fieldhouse-jones-tickets-42139591653?aff=es2.
For Valentine's Day, Boka, 1729 N. Halsted St., will have a six-course tasting menu for $130. For $55, couples can include an optional wine pairing to enhance their dining experience. Call 312-337-6070 or email reservations@bokagrp.com to RSVP.
Two Zero Threein the Virgin Hotels Chicago, 203 N. Wabash Ave.will be offering a buy-one, get-one free special for all specialty pink lattes on Valentine's Day. Also, guests will be treated to a complimentary Virgin heart cookie.
Spanish spot Mercat a la Planxa, 638 S. Michigan Ave., is offering a four-course chef's tasting menu on Valentine's Day ( $75/person ). There will be dishes like smoked trout and eel Catalan crispy coca, Colorado lamb chops, and a mascarpone panna cotta for dessert. Call 312-765-0524.
Arami, 1829 W. Chicago Ave., is offering a special Valentine's Day prix fixe menu. Among the offerings are botan ebi with pomegranate gel, chocolate mint, umami soy, lychee; and grilled abalone with braised wakame in clear "ocean" broth. Priced at $130+ per couple and $65 per guest, the menu is also available with sake and wine pairings for each course, and with an a la carte option also offered. Call 312-243-1535.
Benny's Chop House, 444 N. Wabash Ave., is also offering Valentine's Day specials ( Feb. 8-18 ). Benny's offers the chocolate souffle and Grand Marnier souffle, or guests can also imbibe with a special duo cocktail, The Bicycle Built for Two, which featuers St. Germain, Citadel Gin and Sparkling Lillet Rouge. Also, for those looking to spoil their dates, Benny's offers personalized menus and desserts upon request.
For Valentine's Day, Michael Jordan's Steak House, 505 N. Michigan Ave., is offering a four-course "Eat Like Mike" dining experience for two inspired by the basketball star's favorite dishes. Items will include double-smoked bacon, lobster bisque, duo filets and molten chocolate cake, with sides such as mashed potatoes and bacon mac 'n cheese. The meal is $150 for two, with wine and/or beer pairings available for $25/person. Visit MJSHChicago.com .
Chicagoans can celebrate Valentine's Day at The Signature Room, 875 N. Michigan Ave. Executive Chef Cardel Reid will offer a four-course prix fixe menu at 5-9:30 p.m. for $125/person. Dishes will include braised shortrib, lobster bisque, fennel-crusted halibut and chocolate-covered strawberries, among other choices. Call 312-280-0465.
Robatayaki-style concept Katana Chicago, 339 N. Dearborn St., is celebrating Valentine's Day. Guests can experience the spot's Seafood Tower for Two ( $125 ), made with four pieces of oyster, one king crab leg, scallop sashimi, poached shrimp, akami sashimi, madai sashimi, Hamachi sashimi and three dipping sauces including Wasabi cocktail sauce, garlic ponzu and karashi aioli. There's also a red velvet volcano cake ( $15 ), served with whipped cream and goat cheese ice cream.
Raised Bar, 1 W. Wacker Dr., will host a special "Valentine's Day: No Date Required" event on Wed., Feb. 14, 4 p.m.-12 a.m. The year-round rooftop hangout invites couples and friends alike to make a toast to their special love with the exclusive Champagne Cocktail Menu. To pair with the cocktail menu, dessert options for two offered include a sharable Chocolate Strawberry Fondue Box with large strawberries, white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs and crunch pearls; and a Raspberry Lychee Coconut Terrine, with rose crystal sugar, champagne gelee and a pink macaroon. For more information, visit RaisedBarChicago.com or call 312-795-3444.
Portsmith, the upscale seafood concept from The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, is open for Valentine's Day. For $39, guests can indulge in a menu curated by Executive Chef Nate Hennsler. Items are as follows: first coursechoice of oyster trio or Georges Bank scallop rumaki; second coursefish and chips or linguine with clams; and the third coursechocolate praline cake. To book a reservation, call 312-202-6050.
Commonwealth Tavern, 2000 W. Roscoe St., will have a Valentine's Day trivia contest hosted by Whaddayaknow? Free Pub Trivia at 7:30 p.m. Drink specials will include $5 seasonal beers.
Get something sweet for your sweetie on Valentine's Day at West Town Bakery, 1916 W. Chicago Ave. A selection of sweets include dark and white chocolate-covered strawberries, heart macarons, hand-decorated heart cookies, dark & white chocolate lollipops and more.
Ella Elli, 1349 W. Cornelia Ave., will host a Valentine's Day four-course, prix fixe menu for $85 per person, excluding tax and gratuity. enu options include Pesce Crudo with oyster, sea bass and tuna; beet tartare with roasted beets, whipped goat cheese, hazelnuts and mint; lobster and avocado salad with grapefruit and watercress; bone-in filet with aligot potatoes, brussels sprouts and beef jus; and vanilla panna cotta with candied kumquats and pomegranates. Call 773-935-3552.
Francesca's Restaurants ( various locations ) will be offering Valentine's Day menus as well. Items will include ravioli degli innamorati ( $9; heart-shaped four-cheese ravioli with white truffle cream sauce, chives and fresh tomatoes ), cuore bianco ( $8; warm maple butter cake with vanilla gelato, fresh berries and a chocolate heart ) and more. See MiaFrancesca.com .
Roof on theWit, 201 N. State St., is providing couples with a prix-fixe three-course dinner for two priced at $80 per couple in celebration of this romantic holiday. This menu features a selection of small plates ( seared scallops, espelette-seasoned Brussels sprouts, and duck empanadas ), 10-inch paellas ( lobster paella, osso buco paella and Italian black truffle black paella ) and dessert ( chocolate cherry olive oil cake ). In addition, couples can toast the night with two glasses of Dom Perignon 2006 for $100. Guests are able to purchase this special dinner for two on Feb. 9, 10 and 14. Live entertainment will be provided by Champagne All-Stars at 6-9 p.m. For reservations, visit roofonthewit.com/reservations.
City Mouse ( at Ace Hotel, 311 N. Morgan St. ) will offer guests a completely vegan-friendly, prix fixe menu ( $40 ) for Valentine's Day. The three-course menu will include crudite with avocado and green goddess; Beet Wellington with mushroom, truffle and "creamed kale"; and molten chocolate cake with raspberry sorbet. Visit http://www.acehotel.com/chicago/dining-drink/city-mouse.
Big Jones, 5347 N. Clark St., will bring the Mardi Gras celebration to Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 15 ( as well as Chicago Restaurant Week ). Executive Chef/Co-Owner Paul Fehribach will offer a three-course meal for $33; traditional Louisiana selections include coush-coush, gumbo z'herbes, alligator and andouille sauce piquant, and whiskey corn baba, among others. The prix-fixe menu is available daily 5-10 p.m. and full table participation is required. See bigjoneschicago.com .
The 4th Annual Uppers & Downers Festivaland celebration of coffee and beerwill take place Feb. 20-25. Some of the events will include an Irish coffee cocktail competition at Tack Room, 1807 S. Allport St. ( Feb. 20, 7-9 p.m. ); the Uppers & Downers Decaf: Preview Party at Publican Anker, 1576 N. Milwaukee Ave. ( Feb. 22, 7 p.m. ); and Uppers and Downers Festival of Coffee Beers at Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. ( Feb. 14 at 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. ). See http://goodbeerhunting.com/events/2017/10/19/feb-24th-2018-chicago-uppers-downers-festival-pskd7.
Chef Michael Lachowicz of Restaurant Michael and George Trois in Winnetka will partner with Chef Giuseppe Tentori of �The �Boka Group for a series called "Cooking with Michael" at Winnetka's Restaurant Michael & George Trois, 64 Green Bay Road, on March 6, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Each chef will create a menu of three-courses to showcase his style. Call 847-441-3100.
FamilyFarmed's 14th Annual Good Food EXPO will take place March 23-24 at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Blvd. Among other things, �Sarah Grueneberg of Chicago's Monteverde restaurantfresh off her 2017 James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes Awardwill receive FamilyFarmed's Good Food Chef of the Year Award and do a demo at Saturday's Good Food Festival's popular Chefs At Play stage. ( Other chefs lined up for the Festival include ��Rick Bayless of the Frontera restaurants; ��Jason Vincent of Chicago's Giant and City Mouse; and ��Judson Todd Allen, a ��Chicago native whose flavorful spice-forward cuisine is well-known to TV audiences. ) See GoodFoodEXPO.org .
The first-ever Halal lifestyle festival in America, "I Heart Halal," will showcase the range of contemporary U.S. halal at Navy Pier, Festival Hall A, Friday, April 13-15. This new three-day festival will provide a welcoming space for anyone interested in Halal living embraced by U.S. Muslim consumers. See IHeartHalal.com .
The Chicago French Market, 131 N. Clinton St., has announced four new vendors opening in February and March. They will include Lito's Empanadas, Firenze Italian Street Food, Tiger Ceviche and Pierogi Crib. Visit FrenchMarket.com .
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