Kuma, Kuma, Kuma!

The Kuma, the signature burger with bacon, cheddar and a fried egg, is one of Playboy's "Best Hamburgers in America." (Photo: James Trevenen/Playboy)


Ask any of Chicago's amazing culinary kings and queens (from avec's Koren Grieveson to Lockwood's Phillip Foss) where they go for burgers and you'll hear this repeatedly: Kuma's Corner.

So it comes as no surprise that Playboy has added this heavy metal burger bar to the list for America's Best Hamburgers in its June issue:

"Take a look at that menu of 20 intriguing half-pound black Angus burgers named for the owners' favorite bands: Dark Throne (with chipotle peppers, goat cheese, pico de gallo); Melvins (basil, prosciutto, mozzarella); Motorhead (goat cheese, kalamata olives, oregano, tzatziki, onion, tomato). They're all well thought out and carnivorously debauched beyond words—but the centerpiece is the Kuma burger, a masterpiece piled with bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg on a puffy Labriola pretzel roll. Ask for yours rare, and rest assured there will be blood."

Your exclusive sneak peek of The Shrine!

(Photo: Doug Fogelson)


Here's your first-ever look inside The Shrine—Joe Russo's glamorous, Out of Africa-themed night spot opening in the South Loop Thursday.

If you've never heard of Joe Russo, you've likely heard of his past projects, including the ground-breaking Funky Buddha Lounge, Italian-focused Thyme restaurant, and Sinibar, a swanky dessert and deejay-driven lounge adjacent to Thyme.

With The Shrine, a venue that's been in the works for more than two years, Russo brings to the South Loop a nightlife destination that's sorely needed. Live music (ranging from hip-hop, soul, Neo-soul and R&B) and deejay-driven nights will be the focus, but in addition to locally grown talent, he plans to bring in marquee names.



(Photo: Doug Fogelson)


We're looking forward to Eyes Wide Shut, Shrine's signature event series aiming to take on venues like House of Blues with exciting live music events. The monthly series happens on the first Thursday of every month and plans to draw national A-List, local and up-and-coming talent from the hip-hop, R&B, reggae music world and more.

The various VIPs certain to be rolling through will want to chill out in the Coup d’état at The Shrine, the venue's private lounge with its own separate entrance, deejay booth, bar and more. Here, guests will also have the choice to order from a menu of specialty handcrafted cocktails or the premium bar.

For the sneak peek Rebirth of Chicago Cool party Thursday, Russo teams up with urban tastemaker A.J. Johnson (full disclosure: A.J.'s 312DD's hairstylist!) for one of the best parties this city's seen in years—especially in the South Loop.

A.J.'s known for attracting Chicago's most glamorous party goers, plus Jesse De La Peña is spinning, so if I were you I'd RSVP ASAP to rsvp@theshrinechicago.com to get in. 9pm-2am. No cover; cash bar.

The Best Pizza in America?!

Great Lake's Mortadella Pie is the number one pizza in America, according to GQ magazine. (Photo: GQ)


GQ food writer Alan Richman seems to think so about Andersonville newcomer Great Lake, whose Mortadella Pie topped the list for the Top 25 Pizzas in the country in the June issue:

"[Nick Lessins's] cheese pie, prepared with fresh mozzarella made in-house, grated Wisconsin sheep’s-and-cow’s-milk cheese, and aromatic fresh marjoram instead of basil, was slightly shy of unbelievable. The next day I returned to try the same pie topped with fresh garlic and mortadella, the dirigible-sized Italian sausage that looks like bologna, tastes like salami, and is usually cut into chunks. He sliced the meat very thin and laid slices of it over the pie the moment it came out of the oven. The mortadella, with its combination of burliness and creaminess, was a meaty addition to the earthy, bready crust. This pie—creative, original, and somewhat local—represents everything irresistible about the new American style of pizza-making."

Well done, Great Lake!

Toast to Tuesday deals

There's so many amazing things to cheer to today. The Weather. The Blackhawks. The fact that you've got so many dining and drinking deals to choose from:

Who needs a Big Mac when you can get $2 Black Angus burgers at The Beer Bistro every Tuesday?! You can order the burger any way you like and enjoy with something from their extensive selection of craft beers. Outdoor patio is also open today.

It's the perfect day to finally settle on Chaise Lounge's breezy rooftop area. Tonight's deals include $5 martinis, a three-course, prix-fixe dinner for $25, gourmet tacos piled high with fish or pulled pork (two for $6), and carafes of margaritas or mojitos for $18.

The simple, yet contemporary award-winning fare at Crofton on Wells is a little on the expensive side, but not if you get there between 5-7pm Monday through Friday. Thirty-five dollars gets you three courses, or $55 if you pair with vino.

Fried chicken lovers can eat as much as they like on Tuesdays at Kitsch'n on Roscoe. For $10, you get the deal, plus a glass of wine or beer.

Top Chef finalist Dale Levitski's whipping up a number of specials at Relax Lounge for a special party hosted by Zipcar. Enjoy one comped Ziptini cocktails ($3 after), plus $3 Goose Island 312 drafts, $2 select domestics and $5 burgers. 6-9pm. RSVP to RSVPchi@zipcar.com for admittance.

And pinot lovers will dig tonight's wine event at the Tasting Room, as the intimate wine lounge honors various styles of the grape from around the world. Taste more than 30 wines paired with appetizers. 6-8pm. $30. Reservations required.

EXCLUSIVE: Popular sushi spot to shutter; plans to reopen soon

Just found out trendy Gold Coast sushi restaurant, Tsunami, serves its last meal on May 31.

An Ultimate Insider tells 312DD the husband-and-wife owners had a farewell party over the weekend, but plan to reopen at some point in the area:

"Tsunami is still open until the 31st!!! And they had a beautiful 'going away' party over the weekend...Steve & Melissa will definitely be back with a new space soon."

We wish them luck.

Weekend Tweet Beat

Stephanie Izard is the executive chef/owner of The Drunken Goat, set to open in the fall. (Photo: Stephanie Izard)


What were Chicago's top toques up to this weekend?! 312DD checks out their Twitter accounts:

David Beran (Alinea): “Ashed almond cheese.. paired with violet mustard, brined/burnt grapevine, evo poached grape, cured lamb and frisee... new Alinea course.”

Efrain Cuevas (ChEfrain): “Getting up at 7. Gotta prep: venison rack, lamb shanks, duck and shrimp. Served a couple hundred tonight. Learned some new BBQ tricks.”

Rick Gresh (David Burke’s Primehouse): “Going to Underground with (David) Burke. Where will the night lead?”

Stephanie Izard (The Drunken Goat): “Just ate at Taxim, so tasty! Great food and fun vibe, check it out. Ming Tsai was there too!”

Rob Leavitt (Mado): “Busiest night ever, and I'm all out of sweetbreads! Coming soon...crispy rabbit confit with pea tendrils, lake perch and porchetta!”

Debbie Sharpe (Feast, Goddess & Grocer): “Drank gin & beer & whiskey this weekend... separately. First time in 35 years. Days of my wild youth relived.”

Carol Wallack (Sola): “Sola won the NRA BBQ Challenge, again! Stoked!”

This just in . . .

Everyone's excited about the Blackhawks in the conference finals for the first time since 1995, so of course you'll find plenty of deals around town.

We especially dig the one going down at Moonshine, which pays homage to the team with deals on drinks and food on game days.

Specials include "Kane's" Hot Wings (named after Forward Patrick Kane) cooked in a signature 88 hot sauce; “Big Buff" Buffalo chicken pizza; and You Gotta "Havlat" (named after Forward Martin Havlet) drink specials of $3 Moonshine micro beer drafts, $3 Jim Beam shots and cocktails, and $5 Cazadores tequila shots and cocktails.

Moonshine will also give away an official Blackhawks jersey, valued at $150, every game day.

Oops! Shuttered Red Lion Pub makes Esquire's Top Bar List

Here's the problem with these annual lists big-time magazines do every year.

They cannot possibly hit every bar they cover, like what just happened in Esquire's Best Bars in America list.

For Chicago, they included A-List spots like The Violet Hour, the cocktail-crazed lounge in Wicker Park, and The Matchbox, but also included the very closed Red Lion Pub. The number listed on their website was disconnected, and sources tell 312DD that the venue's been closed "for renovation" since summer 2008.

Did Esquire lay off the factcheckers?! Sheesh.

UPDATE: Apparently the Red Lion Pub inclusion was corrected in the print version, but not online.