—To celebrate Pride Month, Just Salad, 20 E. Jackson Blvd., is bringing back The Big Gay Garden Salad. The rainbow-inspired Big Gay Garden Salad is a 180-calorie vegetarian dish featuring romaine, red cabbage, tomatoes, avocado, carrots, and banana peppers. It will be featured on the menu at all of Just Salad's U.S. locations this June. One dollar from each salad sold will be donated to a local LGBT organization: NYC Pride in New York and New Jersey, Chicago's Center on Halsted and Philadelphia's William Way LGBT Community Center. See justsalad.com/gaypride.
—Sable Kitchen & Bar, 505 N. State St., is celebrating Negroni Week through June 10. Head Bartender Mike Jones has created a menu of gin, rum and whiskey iterations that are $12-15, with $1 of every cocktail sold donated to No Kid Hungry. For example there are the Caspartine ( $15 ), which has Appleton 12 rum, meletti, aperol and lemon pigtail inserted; and the Misterioso ( $14 ), which has Wild Turkey 101, Cynar, Punt e Mes, Averna, Regan's Orange Bitters, orange peel expressed and inserted.
—Davanti Enoteca locations will be marking Negroni week with various selections. For example, On Tap ( $9 ) contains Tanqueray, Campari, punt e mes and orange bitters; and the Flip ( $11 ) has PiÃ'cinque, Campari, Oscar 697 rosso and egg. See www.davantienoteca.com .
—At Chicago's Alinea, the city's only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Executive Chef Mike Bagale has departed after five years, Eater Chicago reported. Alinea Chef de Cuisine Simon Davies, who's been at Alinea for nine years and started as a 19-year-old intern, is Bagale's replacement. For the short term, Bagale is traveling to India for a pop-up at Masque, a restaurant in Mumbai.
—In Chicago's Gold Coast area, Claridge House Chicago ( 1244 N. Dearborn Pkwy. ), which opened in May 2018, has opened the new ground-floor restaurant Juniper Spirits & Oysters. Chef Felipe Patron will offer menu items such as a Chicago-style oyster roll, with fried oysters, dijonnaise, pickle relish, sport peppers, tomatoes and onions on a poppyseed roll; there will also be Juniper's signature sauced oysters—oysters on the half shell immersed in booze-infused, cocktail-inspired granitas, including Gin & Tonic, Spanish Sangria, Bloody Mary or Greyhound. To make a reservation, visit JuniperChicago.com .
—On Friday, June 8, Chicago's The Gwen invites guests to Upstairs at The Gwen's renovated rooftop terrace for its "Rose Garden" cocktail soiree. At 5-9 p.m., guests will partake of still and sparkling rose, frose, rose sangria and rose-inspired dishes from Executive Chef Matt Jergens. The rose-inspired menu includes lamb loin with rose tahini, buttermilk fried chicken with rose and pink peppercorn labneh and burrata with rose vin cotto and puffed grains. Tickets are $59 each; visit TheGwenChicago.com .
—The Imerman Angels Brunch Run 5K & Walk returns to Chicago's Montrose Harbor on Saturday, June 9. In addition to on-course gourmet surprises, runners and walkers will be treated to a signature brunch buffet from Blue Plate Catering. For each participant ( 21 and older ), there will be a mimosa bar; a cold-brewed coffee station featuring High Brew Coffee; an ice-cold beer at the finish; and sunrise yoga and a live band. Visit brunchrun5k.com .
—Revival Food Hall, 125 S. Clark St., is hosting the third installment of its local pop-up series with Duck Inn Dogs, a new quick-service dining concept from Kevin Hickey, chef-patron at The Duck Inn. From July 2 through Sept. 28, the food hall welcomes Hickey, along with The Duck Inn partners Chef Kris Delee and Barman Brandon Phillips.
—The Paramount Group has announced the launch of the West Lake Market, an admission-free, fun experience for everyone with unique vendors, family activities, and frose. Kicking off Sunday, June 10, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the outdoor market is located at 1748 W. Lake Street, adjacent to Eden restaurant. The June 10 event will include a performance by the Jesse White Tumblers and a class taught by Buddha Belly Kids Yoga in the morning, and there will be vendors like Flowers for Dreams, Sugarcup Trading, Ignite Glass Studios and more. See westlakemarket.org .
—Rooftop spot Aire, 100 W. Monroe St. ( on the 24th floor of Hyatt Centric The Loop Chicago ), is featuring a pop-up grill from Kuma's Corner to offer guests a new food experience this year on Saturdays at 4-9 p.m. Aire will continue to serve hand-crafted cocktails, seasonal, shareable plates and local craft beers. Visit Facebook.com/airechicago.
—Big Jones is hosting its Cookbook Dinner with Chef Todd Richards on Tuesday, June 12, at 6 p.m. Atlanta native Richards will celebrate his new cookbook, Soul: A Chef's Culinary Journey in 150 Recipes. Richards and Big Jones Executive Chef Paul Fehribach aim to take take diners on a culinary journey with a family-style dinner. Tickets are $65 each ( or $95 per couple ); call 773-275-5725 to RSVP.
—The 3rd Annual Transgender Community Ice Cream Social will take place Wed., June 13, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St. Attendees at the free event will celebrate Pride on the rooftop deck while networking, listening to the sounds of DJ X-tasy and, of course, eating ice cream. The Center and Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream are co-sponsors.
—To celebrate the brand's 47th birthday on Wed., June 14, Hard Rock Cafe Chicago, 63 W. Ontario St., will pay homage to 1971 with an Original Legendary Burger offer for just 71 cents per guest on a first-come, first-served basis from 11 a.m. to noon. The burger features a beef patty topped with smoked bacon, cheddar cheese, an fried onion ring, lettuce and tomato, served on a toasted brioche bun with Hard Rock's seasoned fries. For more information, visit HardRock.com/chicago.
—For National Lobster Day ( June 15 ), Palos Park's The Original Island Shrimp House, 12902 S. LaGrange Rd., is touting its lobster roll. Made with lobster, this Maine-style roll is served on a brioche bun topped with a mixture of fresh lobster, celery, mayo, fresh squeezed lemon and signature spice blend. See OriginalIslandShrimpHouse.com .
—Frontier will celebrate Father's Day with its All-You-Can-Eat Rib Fest on Sunday, June 17, 1-5 p.m. For $39 per person, guests can enjoy ribs, mac and cheese, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw and cornbread; $5 Half Acre drafts will also be available. Tickets can be purchased online in advance at thefrontierchicago.com/events/ .
—Cindy's, atop the Chicago Athletic Association hotel at 12 S. Michigan Ave., welcomes fathers and families to smoked and roasted feast featuring Smoked Snake River Farms wagyu beef cheeks with Texas caviar, grilled sweet potato and poblano cream. The limited-run special can be accompanied by the Bonfire cocktail made with wagyu fat-washed Pikesville rye, Belgian biscuit malt, palo santo and Benedictine. For something sweet to complete the feast, there's strawberry rhubarb pie with roasted vanilla ice cream. Call 312-792-3502 or by visit CindysRooftop.com .
—For Father's Day, Lawry's The Prime Rib, 100 E. Ontario St., guests can take home Lawry's Father's Day package that includes four 24-ounce seasoned ribeye steaks, two quarts of horseradish slaw, one pint of crispy onion strings and a bowl of Lawry's famous homemade potato chips for $275. To-go orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance; call 312-787-5000 or email Shannon at stauschman@lawrysonline.com .
—The Blackstone, 636 S. Michigan Ave., invites guests to experience the "Exactly Like Nothing Else" package this Father's Day. Upon booking the package, guests can enjoy a stay in The Blackstone's historic Smoke-Filled Suite; exclusive access to The Blackstone's private Iwan Ries & Co. locker stocked with the hotel's hand-selected, single barrel batch of KOVAL Distillery whiskey and a supply of cigars, as well as access to the members-only Iwan Ries Lounge and more. Call 312-542-3436 or visit https://www.theblackstonehotel.com/stay/specials/exactly-like-nothing-else-a-smoke-filled-experience.
—Kizuki Ramen & Izakaya ( 1457 N. Halsted St. ) is teaming with the Japanese Cultural Center to host their first-ever Chicago Japanese Matsuri: A Traditional Japanese Summer Fest ( in the NEWCITY part of Lincoln Park ) on June 23-24. Japanese dishes, as well as drinks ranging from water to sake, will be available for purchase, although event admission is free. See chicagomatsuri.com .
—Delightful Pastries, 5927 W. Lawrence Ave., is offering a gluten-free baking class Saturday, Sept. 8, 12-2 p.m. Students will learn to make two types of fluten-free cookies, panna cotta and chocolate cremeux. Also, the chef will show how to take one simple recipe and create variations of it. The class is $75/student; email Info@DelightfulPastries.com or call 773-545-7215.
—Lawry's The Prime Rib is teaming with the Chicago Architecture Foundation to offer a Sunset River Cruise packag that involves one-stop shopping, dinner and a display of the city's architecture. The Sunset Cruise runs seven days a week through Oct. 5 and begins promptly at 5:30 pm at the southeast corner of Michigan Avenue and Wacker Drive ( lasting roughly 75 minutes ). The meal features Lawry's classics like the spinning bowl salad, California-cut prime rib with mashed potatoes and gravy, Yorkshire pudding and a mini-CC Brown's hot-fudge sundae. Pricing is $62-$119/person
Send items to Andrew@WindyCityMediaGroup.com, or follow on Twitter @Azygous60610 or on Instagram at azygous333.
