Take a gamble on fun tonight

You don't have to be a high roller to have fun:

Bring your A-Game to Galleria Marchetti for Chicago Gateway Green's first-ever poker party that's a kick-off event for the annual Green Tie Ball. Hosted by Horseshoe Casino as a World Series of Poker Qualifying Tournament. Also Akira boutique will be upping the ante with a "Vegas"-themed runway show with fashions from Betsy Johnson, Anna Sui, Ben Sherman, Just Cavalli, BCBG Max Azaria and French Connection. 5:30-11:30pm. Call 312-994-2620 for more info.

Janine MacLachlan from The Rustic Kitchen is the special demo chef for Green City Market. As usual the market opens at 7am, and the demo starts at 10:30. It goes until 1:30pm. Free.

Who needs "American Idol" when we've got Pass the Mic, an open-mic night every Wednesday at Plan B Bar + Kitchen. Hosted by Chris Grant of Trippin’ Billies, a popular Chicago-based Dave Matthews cover band, the event includes solo acts and acoutic bands. And to give others courage, there's a host of drink specials like $3 well drinks, $3 domestic bottles and half-off on wine. 9pm. Free admission.

Visit Follia in June to check out Fashion Meets Art: Building Unity Through Charitable Threads, a showcase of one-of-a-kind shirts and ties from Beth Lambert of Scarlet Designs and fine artist Suk Ja Kang. Prices are $2,500 for shirts and $200 for ties. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Chicago Cares.

Indulge in Pinot in the Park at Park Grill, hosted by master sommelier Joseph Spellman, who has worked in Chicago's top restaurants, including Charlie Trotter's. The walk-around tasting explores lush pinots paired with a nice selection of hors d'oeuvres. 5:30-7:30pm. $30 AIWF members/$35 non-members.

We got an opening date

Pete Wentz's Angels & Kings lounge is set to open on June 21 in River North. Will new wife Ashlee Simpson make an appearance?! Stay tuned to find out!


We had the name first, then we had the location exclusively for the new Angels & Kings lounge that's owned by Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz and a host of local, high-profile bar owners. Now, we've got an opening date: Saturday, June 21.

Get ready to wear your best rock 'n' roll gear, y'all.

Attack of the Shark Bite and more . . .

Sola's Shark Bite cocktail packs a punch. (Photo: sola)


Tuesdays are tastier than ever:

You'll get not one, not two but three specials on Tuesdays at the highly regarded North Center eatery sola. A three-course, prix-fixe menu is $30 and highlights locally grown, organic baby carrots in June. It's also a chance to order the cocktail of the month—the Shark Bite—a refreshing mix of Absolut Citron, blue Curacao, lemonade, Sprite and grenadine. And get your happy ending with sola's new Ice Cream Flight, and choose from such delish flavors as brown butter macadamia nut brittle, ginger cream cheese and pineapple-macadamia nut.

Go for Marigold's new Indian Grill, which just launched last week. Each Tuesday, guests get a three-course tasting menu for $25 that changes every month. In June, the menu consists of grilled Ajwain shrimp served on a bed of carrots and green cabbage; roasted corn Bhuta and spinach salad with creamy cilantro yogurt dressing; and Tandoori chicken with a side of spiced garbanzo beans.

A deep-discount dinner is offered at Cleos, where you can chow down on the $6.99 half slab rib supper. You'll also be able to chill out on one of the best-kept secret outdoor gardens in the city. It's like someone's cool backyard patio.

Another fabulous deal is at Tizi Melloul in River North, where revelers get cocktails, appetizers and a hookah session for $10. This is the perfect hookup when you've got a large group.

And reservations are still available at the South Loop Sam's Wines & Spirits for the Winemaker Seminar with Hans vinding-Diers. The Tuscan winemaker for Cantina Argiano will sample wines from his own estate in Argentina, Bodega Noemia de Patagonia. 6:30-8pm. $15.

One more reason to go local . . .

Now that grocery stores and restaurants are pulling tomatoes because of a salmonella scare, this is one more reason to take your butt to the Green City Market where restaurants like North Pond Cafe, Rustik Kitchen and May Street Market get all their home-grown goodies.

The latest . . .

. . . on what's going on:

Perennial, that long-awaited project from Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz (Boka, Landmark), is now coming at ya on June 19.

The Dana Hotel's Japanese steakhouse, ajasteak, hits town June 16, but the bar opens on Friday, June 13.

True underground night spot Spy Bar is back in biz on Friday after a multi-million $$$ makeover.

And also on Friday the 13th, new after-hours club Religion finally has its grand-opening party with special performances by Harry Choo Choo Romero and B96's DJ Flipside.

Naha, Alinea nab top Beard awards

Alinea's Grant Achatz won the James Beard "Outstanding Chef Award" (Photo: Alinea)


The Stew reports on local James Beard winners—the Oscars of the dining world!—Carrie Nahabedian (Naha), Grant Achatz of Alinea fame and others.

Don't miss the comments section . . . some folks need to lay off the haterade for real!

The Bubble Bar, beats and tiny eats

Guests who indulge in the Bubble Bar on the Terrace of Conrad Chicago also get a unique view of Chicago's skyline. (Photo: Conrad Chicago)


There's so much competition for outdoor hangin' this summer that the more established spots need to step up their game. Terrace, on the fifth floor of Conrad Chicago, makes an aggressive move with the introduction of the Bubble Bar, the new outdoor bar cranking out bubble tea cocktails.

Go for the mango- or pineapple-infused drinks—made from fresh fruit and a variety of liquors (!!)—and settle on one of the cabanas that'll make you feel like you've been transported to South Beach. And Monday nights are also reserved for film buffs who come for classic and kitchy movies shown on a large screen. Tonight go retro with "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," and munch on truffle popcorn or from a menu of "StaxX" (a meal built vertically by layering bamboo steamers) such as vegetable spring rolls, mini crabcake sliders, sushi and seasoned fries. Showtime at 8pm.


Also happening tonight (and every night) is the $3 bar tapas menu at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! when you get there between 4-6pm. Yummy faves like the Rioja short ribs with Manchego mashed potatoes, chicken empanadas, or mushrooms stuffed with spinach and manchego cheese can be had.

Speaking of tapas, People Lounge doles out the deals every Monday-Thursday (5:30-7pm). Three dollars gets you bites such as pollo Diablo, rainbow trout and scallops. Tonight, you'll want to pair those with $10 sangria pitchers or $2 PBRs as you kick back with live Delta blues from John Kimler.

And down the street from People Lounge is another Monday night special: the BBR Monday Social at Debonair Social Club. Music 101 this week hosts a very hot party with legendary house music maestro Roy Davis, Jr. behind the 'tables. Get the $5 Stoli drinks and $3 domestic beers while you're there. 9pm-2am. $5.

What the critics are saying . . .

. . . about:

Epic Burger: "The sandwiches were messy, but it had nothing to do with grease. With onions and crisp pickles and actual green lettuce—not iceberg—and tomato we had to eat over the table to keep from dripping. As we dug into the fries I told Susan they reminded me of In-N-Out’s, the burger chain in California. After we’d finished eating (owner) David (Friedman) told us that chain was one of his inspirations. They have a limited menu, everything’s made to order, and a loyal fan base that will wait in line for the fresh-cut fries."—Theresa Carter (The Local Tourist) Read it all here.

Mixteco Grill: "The moles here can stop your heart. The otherwise run-of-the-mill sopes are elevated to showstopping status by a dose of the brooding, smoky mole rojo, and the white fish gets treated with a lighter, sprightly mole verde. And while its not a mole, the smooth poblano sauce pooled around plump, smoky, perfectly grilled shrimp is so lappable, we almost don’t need the seafood."—David Tamarkin (Time Out Chicago) Read it all here.

Natalino's: "Natalino's serves the best chicken cacciatore in Chicago. Period. This is one chicken dish that you get either all right or all wrong, and the relatively new Natalino's on West Chicago Avenue gets it all right: A masterful blend of flavors that started with the sauteed chicken (on the bone) and rambled on through a light and fragrant tomato sauce along with just the right amount of the "cacciatore" part—meaty mushrooms and strips of red and green bell peppers."—Pat Bruno (Chicago Sun-Times) Read it all here.