BOKA Chef's Dish a Favorite of Food Network

Giuseppe Tentori, partner/executive chef at BOKA. (Photo: BOKA)

Just watched the season two opener of Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate, where celebrity chefs like Tyler Florence and Giada De Laurentiis reminisced over their favorite holiday dishes.

Art Smith of Table Fifty-Two headed over to Chicago's very own BOKA, where exec chef Giuseppe Tentori hooked him up with Bigoli Pasta, an ultra-rich dish made of duck eggs, duck ragout, fresh basil, parmesan, tomato sauce . . . and sprinkled with saffron.

It's on the menu now for $26, but after that Food Network hit, it's certain to sell out every night!

Christmas Cupcake Craze Gone Wrong?!

One of my wackiest 312DD fans, who goes by the handle of The Phantom Diner, sent me his Top 10 List—David Letterman style—of possibly the grossest holiday cupcake flavors EVER.

This guy knows his way around Chicago's restaurant scene, but he has a serious bone to pick when it comes to cupcakes. He HATES them, so for everyone else annoyed with the over-the-top cupcake trend of 2009, this list is for you:

10. Burnt Christmas tree topped with melted candy cane.

9. Roasted Partridge covered in truffled Pear Tree sap.

8. Leftover Thanksgiving turkey sprinkled with moldy cranberries and cracked road salt.

7. Eggnog-infused French Hen, bathed in chocolate and dusted with cinnamon.

6. Granny’s homemade gingerbread with a crust of frozen carrot, topped with a ribbon of snow and ice.

5. The "almost" white cupcake: yellow snow covered in gooey marshmallow.

4. Grilled reindeer tongue touched with a delicate wisp of the Ghost of Christmas past.

3. Cookie medley mash drizzled with spoiled milk reduction sauce.

2. Reindeer shit on a shingle.

And the number one holiday cupcake flavor . . .

1. Tender elf loins laced with crispy Santa belly-button lint!

Someone is twisted!

The 12 Beers of Xmas Returns!

You know, I was never really quite clear on when to start celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas, but while you ponder that, Beer Bistro is launching an event that you can check out right now.

The West Loop bar's annual 12 Beers of Xmas runs through Dec. 31, giving you an opportunity to sip through a superb selection of seasonal suds.

The list:

Anchor Christmas
Bells Christmas Ale
Delerium Noel
Goose Island Christmas Ale
Great Lakes Christmas Ale
Harpoon Winter Warmer
LaChouffe N'ice Chouffe
Samuel Smith Winter Warmer
Shiner Cheer
Sierra Nevada Celebration
New Holland Cabin Fever
Three Floyd's Alpha Claus

Drink all 12, and you'll be rewarded with a free Beer Bistro tee shirt with logos of all the beers. Just don't do it all in one night!

Who Came Out On Top in 2009?!

New York's Mercadito opened an outpost in River North in the fall. (Photo: Mercadito)


Which new restaurant blew you away in 2009?

Was it one of the Mexican-focused spots Mercadito, Xoco or Big Star?

Or were you all about the burgers at Nightwood or DMK Burger Bar?

Maybe the exotic call of Asian-inspired fare at Sunda or delicious Greek dishes at Taxim had your mouth watering.

Whatever the case, it's time for you to decide in the third-annual 312 Dining Diva Year-End Poll.

You know what to do. Scroll to the bottom of the page and vote. You've got until noon Dec. 21.

iPhone App Hooks You Up with Local Dining Deals

Soooo, what if you could have Chicago Restaurant Week all year long?! You know, daily deals on meals, cocktail specials and the 411 on the hottest restos sent directly to your phone?

You can now get the serious hookup with the new foodie iPhone application, which gets you significant discounts on more than 35 local restaurants and bars. The app launched quietly last week, offering exclusive deals on some pretty sweet, chef-driven spots such as Bluebird, Boka, MK, Province and Spring.

Created by food journo Ari Bendersky and digital strategist Matt Marcus, foodie costs $.99 per reservation and integrates Twitter and Facebook to encourage users to post about their experiences.

How perfect was the timing to launch this thing right in the heat of the holiday dining season!

Stage Bites: The Weekly Dining & Drinking Guide

"Death of a Salesman" is at Raven Theater through Jan. 16. (Photo: Raven Theater)


Every Monday look for the week's top performances paired with the best deals before and after the show:


Bear Down! at Fizz. Still salty about the latest Bears' loss?! Lick your wounds at this comedy featuring "Ghosts of Bears Quarterbacks Past," who'll give their thoughts on the disaster that is season 09-10. 8pm Wednesdays through Dec. 16. Get tickets here.

Frasca Pizza and Wine Bar: Wood-roasted pizzas and pastas made in a brick oven, with several seasonal delights. But we're still all about the signature Rustica pizza, topped with diced prosciutto, oven-dried tomatoes, basil pesto and smoked provolone.

Waterhouse: You're certain to be in a rowdy mood after the show, so head here for half-price wine (by bottle and glass), $4 beer selections and team trivia.

Wishbone: Pan-fried chicken and Southern-style vegetarian dishes are on tap every Wednesday, plus $3 pints of selected beers.


One of the signature pizzas at Frasca Pizza and Wine Bar. (Photo: Frasca Pizza and Wine Bar)


Death of a Salesman at Raven Theater. A highly regarded adaptation of Arthur Miller's depiction of traveling salesman Willy Loman, who's in desperate pursuit of the American Dream for his family. 8pm Dec. 5-6; 8pm Fridays, Saturdays and 3pm Sundays Dec. 11-Jan. 16. Get tickets here.

Big Jones: Load up on delicious, down-home delights with the Southern Table Dinner, which changes daily for $29. Plus, there's no other place in the area where you can chow down on fried-green tomatoes, fried frog legs and a fried chicken salad.

M. Henry: With so many yummy brunch options in Andersonville, it can be hard to choose from, but we'll go ahead and put this one in the number one slot. M. Henry gets it right when it comes to hotcakes, french toast and other breakfast favorites. What sounds good to us right now are the Mango & Sour Cherry Bliss Cakes, Cinnamon Raisin French Toast and Blackberry Bliss Cakes. Served till 3pm.

Uncommon Ground: The Honky Tonk Happy Hour's every Friday 6-8pm, and features live beats (this week it's The Dog Patch Ramblers), plus specials on Goose Island and shots of Templeton Rye whiskey.


Star Wars: In Concert at United Center. "Star Wars" fanatics should have the time of their lives at this event that includes a full orchestra and choir performing music from all six John Williams' scores, footage of films, plus an exclusive exhibit of "Star Wars" costumes, props, behind-the-scenes videos and more. 1pm, 6pm Sunday. Get tickets here.

Beer Bistro: They're doing 25 cent wings every Sunday, but if you hit them up before you head over to the early show order from the brunch menu. We're totally intrigued by the Biscuit Club—stuffed with eggs, bacon and avocado. There's also a breakfast pizza topped with sausage, bacon, cheese and three eggs sunny side up.

WestEnd Bar & Grill: Instead of getting caught up in crazy traffic at United Center parking lots, park here and take their trolley over to the show (they'll take you back to the bar too!). Tasty pre-show bites include Reuben rolls, Buffalo chicken rolls, and mini sandwiches of fish, burgers and pulled pork (three for $7; six for $11).

Ristorante We Due for Name Change?!

(Photo: Ristorante We)


Look for big changes to happen over at the W Chicago - City Center in early 2010 as ristorante we undergoes a major overhaul.

An Ultimate Insider tells 312DD that under its new executive chef (who started in November), the menu, decor and name will all evolve.

Right now they're cranking out pricey, Italian fare targeting mostly a corporate-card carrying crowd, but look for the menu to dramatically change to more approachable, economy-conscious courses soon.

As far as the name, that'll all be revealed next year . .

Secret's Out: Kith and Kin to Open in Lincoln Park

David Carrier opens Kith and Kin in the old La Canasta in Lincoln Park in December. (Photo: David Carrier)


Lincoln Park Mexican joint La Canasta quietly closed a few weeks ago and in its place will be Kith and Kin, helmed by David Carrier, a chef who's worked at The French Laundry, Trio and most recently his own spot, Avenue Sea Restaurant in Apalachicola, Fla.

As exclusively reported by 312DD, Carrier's restaurant plans to open the first week in December, but it's looking more like the second, according to the chef.

They've been working on getting the space ready for about four weeks under the radar, transforming it from a vibrant Latin setting to a more downscaled, neighborhood spot. Carrier says the name Kith and Kin, which means friends and family, is based off a famous line from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation ("The most enduring traditions of the season are best enjoyed in the warm embrace of kith and kin. Thith tree is a thymbol of the the thspirit of the Griswold family Chrithmath.")

Carrier says the menu will aptly complement the dining room, adding that it'll be "simple country food, no pretension, laid back and relatively inexpensive price points. Everything’s from scratch and we’ll shop locally when we can."

In the kitchen, he's assembled a merry crew of cooks, including Derek Crumpton, Matt Lair and Sam “Shotgun” Engleheart from his old Florida restaurant, plus former Pops for Champagne chef Andrew Brochu, who will lead the staff.

Carrier's also in talks with a number of local mixologists for consultation projects, but thus far the program is eight to nine beers on tap, 15 or so by bottle, and a number of affordable wines.