Landan Twins' Wild, $130K+ Night Out!

Brothers Jon (left) and Andrew Landan with actress Heather Graham (right). (Photos: Facebook)

While you were likely having a chill Tuesday night, two local scenesters were whooping it up with celebrities at River North's late-night dance club Board Room.

Jon and Andrew Landan somehow got into the good graces of famed Hollywood actors Heather Graham and Zac Efron and racked up one of the most expensive bar tabs we've seen in awhile.

Don't believe me?! Here's the evidence below of the $135,060 splurge, including a $100,000 bottle of Armand Nabuchadnezzar (a.k.a. Ace of Spades) champagne:

Second-Annual 'Who Runs This Town' Poll

Billy Dec (left photo via topnews.com) and brothers Jerrod (left) and R.J. Melman (photo via PopSugar.com)

There are so many chef-oriented polls being thrown around that in 2010 I decided to invent the first-ever Who Runs This Town poll to find out which restaurateur has the most juice.

It was just a fun little experiment pitting Billy Dec (Rockit Bar & Grill/Sunda/Underground) and Graham Elliot (grahamwich/graham elliot) against one another because they're such big personalities outside of their businesses.

Well, Billy Dec won in a landslide, and since then, the competition has gotten more fierce than ever.

One Last Hurrah!

The Backyard Bar at The Whistler (Photo: The Whistler)

When we get a week of weather like we're having now, consider it a gift from the Gods (especially after the horrible weather week we experienced last week), put your summer clothes back on, and get outside!

By the weekend, temps are expected to hit 80 degrees, so why not hit up some of the newer spots you've been meaning to check out:

One Guy Really Loves That Chicken . . .

You may remember Daniel Kibblesmith as the quirky and nerdy Chicago bachelor from Groupon featured recently on an episode of Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker.

His latest stunt makes me wonder if he is indeed a bonified millionaire because if he is, why is he writing an open letter to Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits to sponsor his birthday party on Sunday?!

Here's what he wrote, in a nutshell:

Two Chicago Bartenders Vie For $5K Prize

Jason Cevallos of The Office at The Aviary. (Photo: Jason Cevallos)

BIG props also go out to mixologists Jason Cevallos (The Office, Folklore) and Matthew Tiddes (McCormick & Schmick's), who made it to the finals of the Angostura Bitters North American Cocktail Challenge.

The talented 'tenders are set to compete next Tuesday during a private event at Victor Hotel for a $5,000 grand prize, trip to Trinidad and the chance to rep North America in the Angostura Bitters Global Cocktail Challenge.

Cevallos is shaking up Horchata and Peach, while Tiddes is doing
Ron Bailarin and The Conquistador.

Here's what their competitors plan to whip up:

Congrats Are In Order . . .

Mexican-focused restaurateur Rick Bayless.

Rick Bayless (Frontera Grill/Topolobampo/Xoco) is the only local chef to make the cut in FOOD & WINE Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes Vol. 14 ($32.95).

His Fiesta At Rick's, which was co-written by his wife, Deann Groen Bayless, was one of 25 books selected. The collection includes never-before-published recipes from additional top chefs and authors, dozens of wine pairings from Food & Wine's experts, and stunning color photographs.

Here's the entire list of all 25 best cookbooks of the year:

The 'Rib-a-Que Smokeout' Winners!

Socca chef/owner Roger Herring won the expert judges' vote at the "Rib-a-Que Smokeout" Saturday. (Photos: Moonshine)

Hundreds of meat lovers braved the chill on Saturday for the fourth-annual Rib-a-Que Smokeout at Moonshine as amateur chefs went up against the pros for bragging rights of who makes the best BBQ.

There were 16 competitors in all, but in the end, SmallBar won the "people's choice" award, while Socca beat all contenders, according to a panel of celebrity media judges. Both winners took home a Gilded Grill and $350 in cash.

Annual Dessert Crawl, Stephanie Izard & More!

I'm glued to the television every time Top Chef Just Desserts is in marathon mode.

And the only thing keeping me from losing my mind because I cannot get my hands on any of those desserts is knowing that Andersonville's annual Dessert Crawl happens this fall.

This time, the sugary soiree has three routes (CANDY CANE, GUMDROP and LOLLIPOP), which means you spend $20 ($25 day of event) to check out a number of decadent bites. For example, Hamburger Mary's is doing fried brownies and Twinkies; Taste of Heaven is serving up pumpkin crumble bars; and In Fine Spirits' whipping up mini pumpkin pies with IFS Bourbon Cream.