—Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, 1024 N. Rush St., has a new oyster bar. Signature bar items include Hugo's Anastasia Gold caviar ( from farm-raised sturgeon at Evans Fish Farms in Pierson, Florida ), Hugo's Alaskan red king crab and wild-caught Sea of Cortez shrimp cocktail.
—The Boundary Tavern and Grille, 1932 W. Division St., is launching a weekend brunch Saturday, March 28. Dishes will include chicken and bread pudding, Creole hash, Cajun Benedict and wild mushroom spinach quiche. See www.BoundaryChicago.com .
—Travel Channel's new series Man Finds Food, with foodie Adam Richman hosting, premieres Wed., April 1, at 8 p.m. CT with two back-to-back half-hour episodes. In the second premiere episode ( airing at 8:30pm CT ), Richman unveils a combination of off-the-menu items and off-the-grid restaurants in Chicago, including Phil's Last Stand's fried shrimp po-boy. Visit www.TravelChannel.com .
—On Friday, March 27, Mercat a la Planxa, 638 S. Michigan Ave., will celebrate National Paella Day by offering guests its signature Paella Valenciana in miniature sizes. The Paella Valencia is made with saffron calaspara rice, chicken ropa, chorizo, artichoke tomato salad and saffron aioli toast ( $21 for two servings ). Mercat's National Paella Day celebration comes in advance of the restaurant's Second Annual Paella Cook-Off, hosted by Executive Chef Jose Garces with Chicago Gourmet on Monday, June 22. Call 312-542-3600.
—Freshii will open in 500 W. Madison St. ( Citigroup Center ) and 233 N. Michigan Ave. ( Illinois Center ). Visit Freshii.com for the eatery's manifesto, menus and more.
—Bar Toma Chef/Partner Tony Mantuano is now serving a pizza dough sandwich called The "Tony Calzony." Varieties of the $11 sandwich include meatball, chicken parm and eggplant caprese. Visit www.BarTomaChicago.com .
—Executive Chef Brian Kwak of SideDoor ( corner of Rush and Ontario streets ) is collaborating with chef/brewer Jared Rouben of Moody Tongue to present locals with the restaurant's inaugural guest-chef dinner, "Culinary Brewed," on Wed., April 1, at 7 p.m. Dishes will include bay scallops, lobster roll with herbs and Baltic Porter tiramisu, among other items; beers will include Sliced Nectarine IPA and Steeped Emperor's Lemon Saison. Tickets are $75, not including tax or gratuity; call 312-787-6768.
—Maxwell's at the Club, 500 N. Kingsbury St., is offering a special Passover Dinner, 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m., on Friday, April 3. Passover favorites will include matzo ball soup, gefilte fish with beet horseradish, braised brisket of beef and roast lamb. The Passover buffet is $45 for adults and $15 for children up to 10. Reservations are recommended; call 312-527-5800, ext. 301.
—Magnolia Bakery, 108 N. State St., now has various Passover/Easter/springtime offerings. The April Cupcake of the Month is the lemon cupcake ( standard cake available as well ). In addition, there are everything from Easter cupcakes to pastel meringues to matzo crunch to flourless single layer cake. Visit www.magnoliabakery.com .
—For Easter, Table fifty-two, 52 W. Elm St., will offer special pan-seared lamb chops to be enjoyed alongside Sunday supper favorites like Chef Art Smith's fried chicken and waffles, Executive Chef Rey Villalobos' Southern-fried catfish, crab cake Benedict, spring omelets and quiche and the restaurant's brick-oven macaroni and cheese. The special will be 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit www.facebook.com/Tablefiftytwo.
—Oak Brook restaurant El Tapeo will offer a special a la carte Easter brunch on Sunday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Items at the Spanish eatery will include Iberian eggs Benedict, Spanish omelet and Spanish cava mimosas, among other items. Children will enjoy a special Easter movie viewing, a coloring and separate cookie station, and will leave with bags filled with Easter candy and treats ( reservation required for families with children ). Visit www.ElTapeoRestaurant.com .
—Easter brunch at the Florentine, 151 W. Adams St., is $55 for adults, $20 for children under 12; also, for the adults, access to the mimosa bar or unlimited Bloody Marys is available for an additional $15. Culinary fare will include buttermilk pancakes with blueberry preserves as well as carving ham and lamb stations. Reservations are recommended; call 312-660-8866.
—Luella's Southern Kitchen, 4609 N. Lincoln Ave., will have an Easter entree featuring items such as crawfish etouffee with Carolina gold rice ( $14 ) and a dessert special, the dessert sampler ( $6 ), featuring a beignet, blackberry hand pie, milk-chocolate bread pudding and caramel ice cream. Visit www.luellassouthernkitchen.com .
—Community Tavern, 4038 N. Milwaukee Ave., is offering each table with a complimentary sampling of its savory in-house cured ham on Easter Sunday. Visit www.communitytavern.com .
—A10 Hyde Park Eatery & Bar, 1462 E. 53rd St., will be serving Easter brunch on Sunday, April 5, at 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Guests will start on a sweet note with an assortment of housemade pastries such as banana muffins, hot-crossed sticky buns and crystallized ginger scones. A selection of entrees will be offered, including lobster Benedict, chicken-fried quail and cinnamon-raisin French toast. The cost is $35 per person ( includes coffee or tea ); call 773-288-1010.
—Tortoise Club, 350 N. State St., will host an Easter buffet on Sunday, April 5, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Items include a Belgian waffle station, eggs Benedict florentine, a raw seafood bar and desserts, among others offerings. The cost is $22 ( children 5-12 )-$59 ( adults ). Visit www.TortoiseClub.com .
—Devon Seafood Grill, 39 E. Chicago Ave., is offering a special Easter prix fixe menu prepared by Executive Chef John Cosnotti on Sunday, April 5, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Salad options include Maine lobster bisque, among others; entrees include center-cut filet, seared George's Bank scallops, bone-in pork chop and/or jumbo crab cakes; and dessert options are vanilla bean creme brulee, lava cake, berries and cream, and apple croustade. Call 312-440-8660 or visit www.devonseafood.com .
—Lockwood Restaurant & Bar, located within The Palmer House Hilton at 17 E. Monroe St., will offer two dining options Easter Sunday, April 5—a special brunch buffet at 11 a.m-3 p.m. and a our-course prix fixe menu at noon-10 p.m. The brunch buffet is $65 for adults, $59 for seniors, $29 for children ( 6-12 years old ) and complimentary for children 5 and younger; the four-course prix fixe menu is $62 per person. Brunch offerings include chicken-and-kale ravioli, organic eggs and omelets, and chocolate-chip bread pudding, among other items. Visit www.lockwoodrestaurant.com .
—Modern French bistro Bistronomic, 840 N. Wabash St., will offer a seasonally focused three-course Easter brunch menu on Sunday, April 5, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The price is $39 for adults and $19 for children 12 years and under. ( Bottomless mimosas are available to adults for $15 per person. ) The many offerings will include short-stack pancakes, Bistronomic deviled eggs, savory crepes, Scottish salmon salad and chocolate hazelnut bars, among others. NOTE: The a la carte brunch menu will not be available during Easter brunch. Call 312-944-8400 or visit www.bistronomic.net .
—On Easter Sunday, MAX's Wine Dive, 1482 N. Milwaukee Ave., invites dinners of all ages to enjoy brunch and an Easter egg hunt. MAX's brunch menu has items like braised pork belly Benedict with giardiniera hollandaise as well as Famous Southern Fried Chicken with jalapeno-buttermilk-marinated chicken, home fries, collard greens and Texas toast. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 773-661-6581 or visiting www.maxswinedive.com/chicago.
— Ruxbin, 851 N. Ashland Ave., will host an intimate Easter dinner that will debut a new dish from the upcoming spring menu. Guests will enjoy an exclusive preview of Chef Edward Kim's Mediterranean-inspired lamb saddle with Israeli couscous, prunes, feta, cardamom yogurt, preserved lemon and blackberries. The special Easter dinner for two is priced at $75, and is available on Sunday, April 5, at 5:30-9 p.m. Reservations are recommended; call 312-624-8509 or visit www.ruxbinchicago.com .
—Stan's Donuts & Coffee is joining forces with John Manion, chef/owner of the West Loop Latin-inspired eatery La Sirena Clandestina, for a special donut collaboration for March. The third installment of Stan's monthly guest donut series features a salted dulce de leche "Squaresmarck" ( a square-shaped version of a classic bismarck ) through Friday, March 20, for $3.25 each at both Stan's locations ( 1560 N. Damen Ave. and 259 E. Erie St. ). Additionally, $.25 from every donut purchased will be donated to UN 86'd ( which helps restaurant professionals in need ); Manion sits on its board of directors. See www.StandsDonutsChicago.com .
—Lush Wine & Spirits offers charcuterie as well at neighborhood locations in the West Loop and Roscoe Village. ( The University Village site has closed. ) People can choose a flight of three from a selection that includes duck prosciutto, foie gras pate, cappicola, chorizo rioja, Pata Negra ham and more. Visit www.lushwineandspirits.com .
—Atwood, 1 W. Washington St., has opened its downtown Chicago restaurant after a three-month renovation, unveiling a remodeled dining room and expanded bar area. March also marks the 120th anniversary of the famed Reliance Building, a National Historic Landmark now known as Kimpton's Hotel Burnham. Located inside its historical structure, Atwood is the first installment of Hotel Burnham's $4.1-million renovation, which will conclude with newly renovated guest rooms and public spaces this spring. Helmed by Executive Chef Brian Millman and Head Bartender Ray Anguiano, the opening will also mark the debut of new spring menus featuring seasonal American food and drink.
—On Monday, March 30, the restaurant 312 Chicago ( 136 N. LaSalle St. ) will mark its 17th anniversary with a aperitivo hour party at 6 p.m. The party will also launch the start of a weekly "Aperitivo Hour" held at 312 Chicago every Monday at 4-6 p.m. in the bar. Additionally, throughout this celebratory month, 312 Chicago will be randomly gifting 17 parties who arrive for dinner after 7 p.m. with envelopes containing complimentary giveaways, such as complimentary glasses of wine and dinner for two.
—In celebrating the James Beard Awards' inaugural debut in Chicago, the chefs of The Langham, 330 N. Wabash Ave., partner with the James Beard Foundation to host a Celebrity Chef Tour dinner on April 16 at 6:30 p.m. The Langham hotel's Executive Chef Anthony Zamora—along with Travelle's Chef Tim Graham and Pastry Chef Scott Green—will create a six-course menu in collaboration with past and present award-winning and nominated Chicago-based chefs, including Chef Chris Pandel of Balena, The Bristol, and Formeto's; Chef Giuseppe Tentori of GT Fish & Oyster; Chef Paul Virant of Perennial Virant and Vie Restaurant; and Chef Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia. Tickets are $190 per person, all inclusive. Reservations are strongly required, as there are only 125 seats available; call 312-923-9988 or visit https://kiosk.eztix.co/kiosk-optimised/55156.
—Eduardo's Enoteca, 1212 N. Dearborn St., is launching its spring menu. Culinary offerings include a grilled spring vegetable pesto pizza ( $16 ) and grilled pork tenderloin ( $22 ), among others. Spring cocktails ( for $12 ) include Purple Rain ( bourbon, splash of lemon juice, simple syrup, muddled blueberries, orange bitters and a lemon twist ), and others. Visit www.eduardosenoteca.com or call 312-337-4490.
—Dining Out for Life will take place Thursday, April 30, in dozens of cities across the nation—including New York City, one of the newest locations to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Chicago will also be among the 60 sites involved. Visit www.DiningOutForLife.com .
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