—Fish Bar, 2956 N. Sheffield Ave., is transporting guests to the Big Easy with a New Orleans-inspired menu starting Wed., Dec. 16. Dishes will include spicy crab remoulade, pecan catfish, chocolate creme-brulee bread pudding, and shrimp-and-crawfish etouffee, among other items. See FishBarChicago.com .
—Illinois medical marijuana patients will soon have a line of chef-crafted products to choose from with the announcement of James Beard Award-Winning Chef Mindy Segal's new edible line. Segal, owner of Chicago's Hot Chocolate Restaurant, is the first high-profile, award-winning celebrity chef to attach her personal brand to products in the cannabis industry. Segal is partnering with Cresco Labs, Illinois largest cannabis cultivator, to produce the products.
—Ceres' Table, 3124 N. Broadway, is hosting a gingerbread house-decorating class with Master Pastry Chef Christine McCabe on Saturday, Dec. 19, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ( Guests who bring new, unwrapped toys for donation to Toys for Tots Foundation will receive a voucher for a complimentary dessert on their next visit to Ceres'. ) Reservations are limited, and the cost is $22 per house; call 773-922-4020.
—Honey Butter Fried Chicken, 3361 N. Elston Ave., has new menu options such as fried chicken strips, salads and fried tofu strips. Other recent additions include buffalo mac 'n' cheese, Honey Butter Fried chicken nachos and a BBQ sandwich. See HoneyButter.com .
—Chipotle CEO Steven Ells has apologized for a multi-state E.coli outbreak, ABC News reported. Chipotle temporarily closed 43 locations in Washington state and Oregon as a result of the outbreak. "It's a really tough time. I'm sorry for the people who got sick," Ells said on Today. "They're having a tough time. I feel terrible about that. We're doing a lot to rectify this."
—Valli Produce Evanston, 1910 Dempster St., will host a book-signing with celebrity chef and recent Cutthroat Kitchen winner Fabio Viviani on Sunday, Dec. 20, 5:30-7 p.m. Visit www.valliproduce.com or call 847-866-6100.
—Cafe Spiaggia's Feast of the Seven Fishes will take place Sunday, Dec. 20. There will be two seatings ( 4 and 7 p.m. ), with items such as crudo di mare, fritto misto di lago, spaghetti con sepia and polpo alla griglia. Tickets are $75 per person and $25 for wine pairings; call 312-280-2750.
—Henry's, 18 W. Hubbard St., is hosting a special edition of its '90s theme night on Wed., Dec. 23—also known as Festivus. To celebrate, Henry's will be decked out with the traditional aluminum Festivus pole, and will be showing the Seinfeld "Festivus" episode on big screens throughout the bar. Among the specials will be a meatloaf slider and an Airing of Grievances Cocktail—a combination of Rittenhouse Rye, Carpano Antica sweet vermouth, and Ancho Reyes chili liqueur.
—La Ciudad Mexican Cafe and Grill, 4515 N. Sheridan Rd., is hostng its 2nd Annual "Feed the Homeless" Event on Thursday, Dec. 24, 12-3 p.m. La Ciudad is accepting sponsors and donors for this annual event; money, goods and service donations are all welcome and needed. Visit LaCiudadGrill.com or call 773-728-2887.
—Ceres Table, 3124 N. Broadway, offers a special five-course New Year's Eve menu including a Champagne toast and surprise appetizer by Executive Chef Craig Degel. The menu is $75/person, with the option to include sommelier selection wine pairings for $25/person or reserved list wine pairings for $50/person. For reservations and additional information, call 773-922-4020.
—Chicagoans who celebrate the New Year with Commonwealth Tavern, 2000 W. Roscoe St., will enjoy a $60-per-person package beginning at 8 p.m. which includes microbrew drafts, domestic bottles, call drinks, wine, food buffet, champagne toast at midnight and live DJ. Visit CommonwealthChicago.com .
—On New Year's Eve at Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., there will be a whole-animal meal package starting at 8 p.m. The package ( $85 per person ) includes whole smoked animal service ( pig, goat, lamb and boar ), oysters, salads, sides, desserts, wine, punch, premium liquor, cocktails, craft and domestic beers, a champagne toast at midnight and party favors. See TheFrontierChicago.com .
—Howells & Hood, 435 N. Michigan Ave., will have a "Chi-Town Rising" party happening New Year's Eve. Among the features will be hors d'oeuvres ( 8:30-10:30 p.m. ), a Rufino Prosecco toast at midnight at an NBC live-stream on all TVs of the night's entertainment. Tickets are $75-$100; see HowellsAndHood.com .
—County Barbeque, 1352 W. Taylor St., hosts a Bacon & Champagne Spectacular this New Year's Eve from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Guests can choose from 11 different specialty bacon dishes, including Thai chili brushed house-smoked bacon, bacon-wrapped sea scallops and chocolate-covered bacon bark. The party also features a selection of Champagne Cocktails and Champagne Punch, with a Champagne of Beers toast at midnight. Tickets are $78 per person including tax and gratuity; visit countynye.eventbrite.com .
—On New Year's Eve, 312 Chicago will offer a four-course "Menu di Capo D'Anno" prix fixe dinner with optional wine pairing. Executive Chef Luca Corazzina has crafted four options per course. The full menu can be found online but guests can expect vegan, vegetarian and meat-driven dishes to satisfy every taste at the table. The price is $70 per person ( $100 with wine pairing ); reservations can be made by visiting www.312chicago.com or calling 312-696-2420. On New Year's Day, 312 Chicago will offer a variety of brunch "italian-inspired hangover cure" specials at 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
—At Rockit Burger Bar, 3700 N. Clark St., there will be a New Year's Eve bash at 9 p.m.-2 a.m. For $55, there will be a premium bar package, all-you-can-eat buffet, Champagne toast at midnight and live music by DJ Red Beard. Visit http://rockitburgerbar.com/NYE.
—At Earls Kitchen + Bar, 1538 N. Clybourn Ave., on Thursday, Dec. 31, Chef Chris Memme is offering a five-course prix fixe dinner for $45 per person, with an optional cocktail and wine pairing for an additional $30. Some of the planned dishes include tuna tostada, lemon-glazed Atlantic salmon and gingerbread cake. See EarlsRestaurants.com .
—Celebrate the New Year at Italian destinations Piccolo Sogno and Piccolo Sogno Due. On Thursday, Dec. 31, diners can enjoy signature New Year's Eve-inspired menus that includes dishes like Mezzaluna di Tartufo Nero ( $22 ) and Risotto all' Aragosta ( $29 ) at Piccolo Sogno, and Pesce Intero ( $37 ) and Arrogosta Fra Diavola ( $28 ) at Piccolo Sogno Due.
—Ampersand Wine Bar, the Ravenswood wine bar from Chef Darren McGraw, has announced its menu for a foodie New Year's Eve. Items include burrata-and-arugula salad; sweet-potato soup; roasted heirloom carrots; curried cauliflower with duck confit; ocean trout with pureed sunchoke; and braised oxtail, with kale and salsa verde. Additionally, guests may end their dinner with delectable mignardises and a champagne toast. Cost is $85 per person, not including tax or gratuity. call 773-728-0031, as reservations are required.
—Public House, 400 N. State St., will have a New Year's Eve celebration with private tables, midnight countdown with Champagne, party favors, a balloon drop and more. ( College-football playoffs will be shown. ) Visit https://gce.hastickets.com/PublicHouseNYE2016.
—ENO Wine Room ( at the InterContinental Hotel, 505 N. Michigan Ave. ) will host "It's Midnight Somewhere!" event Dec. 31. Every hour on the hour, starting at 5 p.m., guests will toast to different locations around the world striking midnight with a glass of featured champagne. It's $8 for a half-glass of Champagne; call 312-321-8738 to RSVP.
—Kanela will be open on New Year's Eve for regular hours, and in celebration of the holiday season, each Kanela Breakfast Club location will feature a unique menu special. Depending on the location, specials will be eggnog pancakes, hot chocolate French toast and more. See KanelaBreakfastClub.com .
—Wellness item: IVme Wellness + Performance of Chicago, located in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood, will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 1, for those who may have overindulged on New Year's Eve. Designed for those who are suffering from dehydration due to hangover, exhaustion, or cold or flu symptoms, IVme offers patients expedited hydration therapy through IV delivery of fluids, nutrition and medication. Visit ivmechicago.com/memberships/ .
—In partnership with Green Curtain Events, Municipal's New Year's Eve bash at 216 W. Ohio St. will feature live DJ entertainment, a heavy appetizer buffet, six top shelf drink vouchers, $5 call drinks for the duration of the event, 2016 party favors with a LIVE ball drop and more. Doors will open at 9 p.m. and the party will end at 2 a.m. Visit gce.hastickets.com/municipalNYE2016 for tickets.
—La Sirena Clandestina, 954 W. Fulton Market, celebrates the start of 2016 with a New Year's Day Brazilian brunch on Friday, Jan. 1, 12-6 p.m. with live music, cocktails and Latin fare. Reservations for the New Year's Day brunch are required, with the last seating time at 5:30 p.m; call 312-226-5300 or visit www.lasirenachicago.com .
—Phil Stefani Signature Restaurants founder and CEO Phil Stefani will be the recipient of the 2016 Chicago Classic Award at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's 19th Annual Grand Chefs Gala on Friday, Jan. 29. The Gene & Georgetti Chicago Classic Award recognizes lifetime achievement in Chicago's culinary scene. Phil Stefani has been a staple of the Chicago restaurant scene for more than 35 years, having operated some of the most successful fine-dining establishments in the city and suburbs, including Phil Stefani's 437 Rush, Riva Crab House and Tavern on Rush.
—Chicago's Best WingFest will return for its 17th year on Feb. 21, 2016, 1-5 p.m., at Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington St. There will be wings from 25 area restaurants, competitive wing-eating and six categories of wing competition, among other things. See Wingfest.net .
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