So Very, Very Hot Right Now.

Drop biscuit sandwich at Three Aces (Photo: Three Aces)

Thank goodness for restaurants that serve late brunch. If it weren't for them, I'd never get to indulge in fluffy, buttery biscuits, blueberry pancakes or bottomless Mimosas—unless I made them myself.

OK, so I'm being a little over-dramatic, but you get the point.

Lite Bites: What Your Favorite Chefs & Mixologists Are Up To Around Town This Week

Charles Joly with Sumi Robata Bar owner Jessica Kato at his launch party for Crafthouse on Tuesday. (Photo: Jessica Kato)

It's been a big year for Charles Joly, the beverage director at the award-winning The Aviary.

Earlier this year, the ground-breaking West Loop lounge won a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar Program. Last weekend, Joly was named Best American Bartender of the Year at Tales of the Cocktail—the international bartenders' convention held annually in New Orleans.

And this week marks the official launch of Crafthouse, an impressive line of bottled cocktails he collaborated with Matt Lindner of The Drawing Room. A private industry event Tuesday evening introduced three classic cocktails (Moscow Mule, Paloma and South Side), which will be sold at select retailers soon.

Congrats to Joly on all his success!

West Town Tavern Has Shuttered

Girl Food Dinner at West Town Tavern in 2012 (Photo: West Town Tavern)

I don't like writing these stories and I especially don't like it when it's one of my favorites.

West Town Tavern celebrated 10 years in business in 2012, but Monday owners Susan and Drew Goss announced that they were closing, effective immediately:

So Very, Very Hot Right Now.

Allium's Bananas Foster milkshake (Photo: Allium/Four Seasons Chicago)

Yeah, it's hot all right, and three of Chicago's most luxurious hotel properties fight it out (unintentionally?!) to decide which one offers the best gourmet frozen treats on National Ice Cream Day.

That gloriously decadent day occurs Sunday, July 21, and the executive pastry chefs from the Four Seasons' Allium, Ritz-Carlton's dec Rooftop Lounge + Bar and Park Hyatt's NoMI Kitchen are going all out. (July is also National Ice Cream Month).

NoMI, for example, transforms its lounge into Soft Serve Sundae School, and Meg Galus has created an assortment of toppings (cookie crumble, lemon curd, graham streusel, peanut butter fudge chunks, etc.). Each sundae is $10, and the event takes place noon to 8pm Sunday.

UPDATE: Baume & Brix Closing

(Photo: Baume & Brix)

Baume & Brix's last day is indeed Saturday, co-owner Steve Tavoso told 312DD Wednesday, but he insisted that it is not transforming into a steakhouse called The Grid House.

He added that the name and concept have not been finalized, and he plans to have that all in order by next week.

Baume & Brix Closes Saturday

(Photo: Baume & Brix)

Eater Chicago broke the news Monday that Baume & Brix co-executive chef Ben Roche jumped ship, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's closing.

An Ultimate Insider dropped a dime about the progressive restaurant's fate late Tuesday afternoon to 312DD:

Bryce Caron Now At Carriage House & Working On Hot New 'Secret' Project

Bryce Caron via starchefs.com

When Bryce Caron was at Blackbird in 2012, he was named Food & Wine's first-ever Best Pastry Chef in the Midwest.

One year later after a little drama (including his dismissal at Blackbird), and he's pretty much abandoned the pastry category, but he says that he was his plan all along.

The talented chef's now working in Carriage House's kitchen, though he declined to tell 312DD his exact role. He's been there since February and maintains a low-key presence.

But not for long . . .

Doughnut Vault Truck Rolling Out Soon

Will those long lines finally be a thing of the past now that Doughnut Vault's rolling out a food truck?!

Time will only tell, but one thing's for certain: You'll finally be able to get those sugary sweets after 10:30am (They're usually sold out by then). There's no set date on when the truck will debut—with doughnuts in flavors such as triple chocolate, lemon poppy seed and pistachio—but look for it on the streets within a week or so.