Fashion(able) plates

The Pinto Box, named after local fashion designer Maria Pinto, can be found at Sepia. (Photo: Lara Kastner)


Sepia teams up with new next-door neighbor designer Maria Pinto (peep her threads on muse Michelle Obama) for the Pinto Box, which they're saying is "for those fashionably on the go, an all-in-one stylish lunchbox."

Custom-made for Sepia, the hand-crafted Pinto Box was designed by Brent Rourke, a cabinet maker and creator of Canadian-based Shaker oval boxes and carriers.

Executive Chef Kendal Duque and Pastry Chef Cindy Schuman will offer rotating menus with three seasonal choices (appetizer, entree, dessert), like a daily flatbread, Amish chicken with apples, as well as a sweet potato spice cake bread pudding with caramel thyme ice cream. Available Monday - Friday 11:30am-2pm for $18.

Province ready to open?!

Randy Zweiban's Province had its "friends and family" sneak preview event last night, so it looks like it should be opening this weekend as scheduled.

Working on getting more info on what went down . . .

UPDATE: In the meantime, Zweiban's released his opening menu, which is surprisingly very budget friendly. It offers "small," "big" and "bigger" entrees, including a spice-rubbed grilled Ahi tuna taco with serrano chile tartar salsa ($8), slow-roasted Gunthorp Farms pork with rice beans and braised greens ($10/$19) and 10-hour braised lamb with eggplant, chorizo and cornbread ($12/$22).

UPDATE 2: It opens today!

UPDATE 3: A tipster who was there last night tells me: "The steak was delicious. . . baby pork taquitos were fairly small and were only $3 . . . pretty room, nice service, price points were perfect for this challenged economy." He loved the shrimp & grits with manchego cheese, and the grilled beef tenderloin drizzled with housemade steak sauce was also a big hit.

Debbie Sharpe of Cru Wine Bar & Cafe was also in the house.

Give me some sugar

Katherine Anne Confections' truffles will be featured at Crimson's "Sweetest Singles Party" tonight. (Photo: Katherine Anne Confections)


Why wait for Saturday to celebrate Sweetest Day?! Tonight's all about the singles as Crimson Lounge is hoping to gather the city's sexiest crowd. They're wooing them with $5 Kilo Kai rum cocktails and desserts courtesy of Katherine Anne Confections. Proceeds benefit LIFT. 8pm-midnight. No cover.

Whether you come tonight or this weekend, Chaise Lounge's new exec chef Cary Taylor—who was the star at the recent Chicago Gourmet event—is offering 312DiningDiva.com readers 10 percent off their total bill until Nov. 1. We hear the crabcakes are to die for.

Southport's Galleria Liqueurs hosts its annual grand champagne tasting. You'll get to sample more than 10 top brands, including Moet and Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. 6-8pm. $10.

It's time for Marche's 15th anniversary, and they're doing it up by bringing back all those wacky events for which they've become infamous. Look for S&M artists, mod burlesque performances and Dr. Seuss characters strolling through the space as guests nosh on signature dishes by former Marche chefs Michael Kornick, John Bubala and Paul Wildermuth. They'll be joined by current chef Matt Tobin. Fifteen raffle prizes will include gift certificates for Marché, Opera, Gioco and Red Light. 8pm-2am. $20 ($5 goes to Perspectives Charter Schools).

Attention, single gals: A host of hot, eligible bachelors will be up for grabs—oops, I mean up for charity auction—at Martini Park. Bankers, lawyers and a frat boy (?!) will strut their stuff to raise money for the Sealed with a Wish Bachelor Auction to benefit The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois. Ten dollars gets you a free cocktail ticket (first 50 arrivals only), appetizers and $7 specialty martinis. Check out the talent here. 6-9pm. $10.

And the Inspired By Pink Party happens at Townhouse Restaurant & Wine Bar, raising money for breast cancer research. Event includes an open bar and appetizers. 5:30-7:30pm. $10 donation.

The next mile-high hang

(Photo: Urban Daddy)


While everyone was all excited over the weekend over the opening of hot rooftop lounge Vertigo—perched on the upper level of the Dana Hotel—somehow another similar spot opened under the radar.

Urban Daddy introduces us to Sky Lounge, on the 40th floor of Avenue Hotel. Oh, and this one's got a fireplace, panoramic views of Lake Michigan and a more chilled-out vibe.

More bad news . . .

. . . just dropped in my inbox from another Ultimate Insider:

"Avenue M did not open this weekend. Looks to be another in the line. People need to start getting out and supporting their local economy."

Hmmmm. Too bad. I wonder if those guys will still do this.

Exclusive: Brasserie Ruhlmann 'closed until further notice'

This just dropped in my inbox from an Ultimate Insider:

"Brasserie Ruhlmann's closing. They say for 3 weeks to a month to do some restructuring. I'd be surprised if they reopen with the same concept."

A quick call to the restaurant resulted in only getting this message from their voicemail: "Thank you for calling Brasserie Ruhlmann. We are temporarily closed until further notice. . . "

Wow. That didn't even last a year. Hopefully they reopen soon, but in the meantime, you can still go across the street to the owners' Japanese-focused eatery Japonais.

UPDATE: From another Ultimate Insider: "I heard from a little birdie that they are talking seriously with some key peeps in the rest bus.... if they sync up with said people I am confident that they will have nothing but success....."

What are you doing Monday night?!

There's not much going on, so why not spend the evening with Bravo "Top Chef" champ Stephanie Izard, who's bartending at Pops for Champagne, 8pm-midnight, as it kicks off its weekly celebrity bartending series. I know I'll be there!

After hours at Publican—on its first night

Donnie Madia at his first restaurant, Blackbird.


Just stopped by Publican to sample one of those well-publicized craft beers everyone's been talking about lately. But guess what?! It was after midnight and that spot was closed.

But that's OK, we probably didn't need anything to drink anyway.

Publican partner Donnie Madia graciously gave us a tour of the airy, one-room space dominated by the color beige and over-sized chandeliers. What drew our attention the most, however, were the eight or so booths lining the walls. They had their own little doors—for semi-privacy—which should get interesting when the clubby crowds from next-door Lumen get wind of it. You know what I'm talking about. . . .

We'll be back soon to get an actual taste of those highly anticipated pork-focused dishes (peep their little mantra: "Here's to the swine, that animal divine, who through mud and slime, grit and grime, gorges over time into meats divine."), and the fab $45 Sunday Feast that Urban Daddy just discovered.

And while we were at it, we asked Madia to confirm the recent rumors about his team buying the Pontiac Cafe venue, which is reportedly shutting down next week.

"It's true," he admitted reluctantly, "but we wanted to keep that info below the radar before we decided what we wanted to do with it. These days you can't keep anything a secret."