Your First Look Inside Bistronomic

Bistronomic exterior (Photo: Ari Bendersky/Eater Chicago)

Eater's got the first photos inside Gold Coast eatery Bistronomic, which was Eve for the last few years.

Helmed by former Cafe Des Architectes chef Martial Noguier, the restaurant is set to open Friday.

Where A Rising Star Chef Dines On Off Days . . .

Dave Beran (left) with Grant Achatz. (Photo: Grant Achatz)

It's not every day you get to sit next to a world-class chef for two hours. So when I got my chance at the Grand Chefs Gala Friday, I didn't let it go to waste.

I was lucky enough to sit next to Dave Beran, the chef de cuisine of Alinea as well as chef of the upcoming and highly anticipated Next restaurant in the Warehouse District.

Beran was pretty tight-lipped on Next's opening date, yet very eager to share some of his favorite local dining destinations when he gets a rare night off.

What A Night For Chicago Chefs!

Kith & Kin's Andrew Brochu (left) shows off his Jean Banchet medal with Olmeca Altos Tequila brand ambassador Daniel de Oliveira at "Grand Chefs Gala" Friday. (Photos: 312 Dining Diva)

Avenues' Curtis Duffy was MIA at the annual Grand Chefs Gala Friday benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. And too bad because he won the most coveted prize of the night: the Jean Banchet award for Celebrity Chef.

Had the talented toque been there, it would have been one hell of a reunion. Andrew Brochu, who worked with Duffy at Alinea, took home the award for Best Neighborhood Restaurant as executive chef at Kith & Kin.

Dave Beran picked up Alinea's award for Best Fine Dining. The chef de cuisine, who will also lead the team at the upcoming Next restaurant, worked with Duffy and Brochu at Alinea.

Freebies . . . on Friday . . .

Former "Hell's Kitchen" cheftestant Connie Lovely Jackson hosts an event at Kenmore Live Studio this weekend. (Photo: Connie Lovely Jackson)

Low on cash, but got an appetite for the good life?! Every Friday, 312DD features the best bargain bets around town:

Chicago Cut Steakhouse: Scotch lovers should drool at the thought of this tasty deal going on at the downtown steakhouse. Chivas 18 will be in the house 5:30-7pm Friday, offering gratis cocktails and tastings.

DMK Burger Bar: Sales from DMK's 2011 calendar benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. And if you get yours through Jan. 31, you'll get a free Bardstown Bacon-Bomber Milkshake.

Hop Along To These Haute Cuisine Spots

Leopold's smoked rabbit entree comes with mustard spaetzle, caramelized fennel, onions and duchesse prune glaze. (Photo: Huge Galdones of galdonesphotography.com)

We've seen more rabbit-focused dishes this season than ever before, but could it be a coincidence?!

Beginning Feb. 3 is The Year of the Rabbit (signifying luck, tactfulness and thoughtfulness)—for the Chinese New Year—and there's a lot of yummy goings-on that may or may not have to do with the special occasion.

Sunda, the celebrity-infested resto in River North, is doing its annual homage to the Chinese New Year, but sadly there will be no rabbit on the menu.

From Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, they're doing a special, family-style menu that's $40 per person. Some of the featured dishes include hot and sour soup; a dim sum duet of shrimp or vegetable spring rolls and sticky rice; ruby prawns in a secret glaze; and beef short ribs in a black pepper sauce and accompanied by broccolini. Dessert is included in the meal.

Guests who make reservations at 7pm Feb. 3 will be entertained by live performances of the "dragon dance." It's to bring good fortune to all.

You can also celebrate The Year of the Rabbit by chowing down on these rabbit dishes elsewhere:

RIA Dinner On Twitter Auction Block . . .

It feels like it just came out of the blue, but RIA chefs Jason McLeod and Danny Grant launched a Twitter auction Tuesday afternoon for dinner at their fabulous restaurant.

This is right on time, seeing how the Elysian hotel's highly regarded resto just reopened after being closed for the holiday season. Check out some of the new menu items here.

Is Your Mouth Watering Yet?!

(Photo: The Doughnut Vault)

I'm still anxiously awaiting the arrival of The Doughnut Vault—set to open in River North in a few weeks—but I just came across these drool-enticing photos the owner (who's also behind Gilt Bar, Maude's Liquor Bar) recently posted on the shop's blog.

Check it out for updates on tasty menu items and cool tidbits on the history of doughnuts. Plus, sooner or later they're going to have to reveal the actual location . . .

Epic's New Chef Unveils Fresh New Menu

Michael Shrader during his N9NE days. (Photo: Myspace)

Now that he's settled into his new digs at Epic, Executive Chef Michael Shrader has had time to work his own signature styles into the lunch and dinner menus.

We just got a copy of it and it's chockful of American-centric dishes certain to keep the River North resto on the hot list.