Special Zealous Menu Inspired By Spain

Zealous Owner/Executive Chef Michael Taus and wife Annette on their recent trip to Barcelona. (Photos: Michael Taus)

Ever since I saw Vicky Cristina Barcelona (starring Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Scarlett Johansson and Rebecca Hall), I've been obsessed with traveling to Spain.

The wine, the cuisine, the culture and the passion of those beautiful people are simply breathtaking and one day I'll get there.

In the meantime, I'll just live vicariously through Zealous owner/executive chef Michael Taus, who just returned to Chicago after an eight-day trip to Barcelona.

'Chicago Restaurant Week' On Its Way!

Prairie Fire's slow-braised Tallgrass beef barbecue brisket. (Photo: Ron Kaplan)

You can only dine at so many restaurants a year—mostly because you only have so many $$$ to dine out.

That's why you should thank your lucky stars for the annual Chicago Restaurant Week, which allows you to choose from at least 200 restaurants that may be out of your price range on the regular.

From Feb. 18-27, the 10-day event features special prix-fixe menus of $22 for lunch and $33-$44 for dinner. Here's a list of all participating restaurants, but you'll also find a handful of newcomers to the scene: