Introducing: FREEBIE FRIDAY!

If you've been following 312DD on Twitter for awhile, you already know I'm always cooking up kooky ideas to get people to join.

This week I'm introducing FREEBIE FRIDAY (happens every other Friday!), when one fellow Tweep wins a cool dining- or drinking-related prize.

The inaugural FREEBIE FRIDAY prize is Champagne Table, happening every Wednesday in Trump Hotel's exclusive VIP area in Rebar. One lucky person will win a reservation for two.

Sommelier Steven Lee hosts the event with hors d'oeuvres and a wide selection of bubbles from a monthly featured Champagne house, all the while learning about the wines and enjoying amazing views of the Chicago River. Space is limited to 16 guests each week; reservations highly recommended. 5:30-7pm. $25 per person.

Champagne Table lineup for the rest of the year:

June – Perrier-Jouët
July – Sparkling wine vs. Champagne
August – Blanc de Blanc vs. Brut
September – Grower Champagne
October – Rosé Champagne: in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month
November – Laurent Perrier
December – Tête de Cuvée or “Head of the Class”

Follow 312 Dining Diva here!

NOTE: Must be a Chicago-area resident to participate. Winners announced 5pm Fridays.

Weekend Tweet Beat

Cibo Matto's Todd Stein (Photo: Todd Stein)


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

Paul Kahan (Blackbird): "Doing r and d at May Fest. Yummy herring sand. With hoffbrau. I almost feel German. Prost."

Michelle Garcia (Bleeding Heart Bakery): "Great Smash Cake opening! Thank you to everyone that came out!"

Bill Kim (Urban Belly): “Picked up delicious organic pea shoots from Three Sisters Farm at the Green City Market today-adds a taste of summer to our Thai Basil rice.”

Ryan Poli (Perennial): "Excited about tomorrow's Sunday Supper Club at Perennial. This week's theme Italian!"

Debbie Sharpe (Feast): "Dinner at Veerasway followed by Mary Poppins. Love me some flyaway curry."

Todd Stein (Cibo Matto): “It is a beautiful Chicago night, roof is alive, and people are enjoying.”

Get a load of this . . .

(Photo: Jake Melnick's Corner Tap)


Just in time for Father's Day, Jake Melnick's Corner Tap unveils the Big Daddy Burger.

It's nine ounces, hand-crafted, stuffed with bleu cheese, basted with homemade steak sauce, and topped with black peppercorn bacon, horseradish havarti, crispy onion strings, aioli, lettuce and tomato on a pretzel bun. If that's not enough for you, it comes with a Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale and fries for $9.95.

On Dad's day, he gets it for half price.

Going Once, Going Twice, Gone!

Chaise Lounge's Cary Taylor might whip up his signature Chaise Tacos at your home. (Photo: James R. Lasky)


312DD's been gushing about the Swan Creek Live Twitter Auction all week long, but at 9pm it comes to a close.

So time is ticking if you're still trying to place a bid on one of 15 of Chicago's prominent chefs to come cook at your home, including Paul Virant (Vie), Troy Graves (Eve), Suzy Crofton (Crofton on Wells) and Cary Taylor (Chaise Lounge).

To find out who placed the highest bids, head to a party happening at Goose Island Clybourn tonight. Your ticket includes beer, snacks, giveaways and a chance to win your very own wine-tasting event at Juicy Wine Co. 6-9pm. $25.

Of course, there's so much more going down this weekend. . .

THURSDAY

Make sure you wear a cute jacket or cozy sweater (and gloves!) if you plan on attending Red Kiva's patio party celebrating the summer. They'll be doling out mojito samples, drink specials and complimentary flatbread pizza to go along with live entertainment by Those Guys. 6-9pm. No cover.

Those looking for a hot new space to entertain this summer might want to check out the party happening at Gallery 1028 (1028 N. Hooker St.). They're doing an open house with a tour of the venue. Complimentary cocktails. 5:30-8:30pm RSVP to shelley@gallery-1028.com for admittance.

Indulge in a South of the Equator Tasting at the WineStyles on Belmont. You'll learn about vino from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, plus sample flavored grape seed oils from WildTree. 6-8pm. No cover.

FRIDAY

Get 20 percent off your bill at Lockwood with proof of a ticket purchased for the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan Ave.). It's good for lunch or dinner daily, so you can finally get your hands on that World Famous Lobster Dog. (NOTE: Discount does not include alcohol or tip.)

Since our city's outlawed real happy hours, MORE, the cupcake boutique in the Gold Coast, offers the next best thing. Every Friday, they're hooking up comped, cocktail-inspired cupcakes in flavors like margarita, piña colada, Cuba libre, mojito and Kir Royale. 5-7pm. Free.

SATURDAY

Do Division Street Festival, Wicker Park's first official street fest of the year, happens today and Sunday. All the little edgy shops, eateries and bars will have deals all weekend, plus look for live music by Flosstradamus, Dark Meat and Menomena 1-8:30pm. Hop on over to The Fifty/50, Boundary, Moonshine and Enoteca Roma while you're in the area.

SUNDAY

How does French toast sound to you right about now?! How about if it's topped with macerated Door County cherries, bourbon syrup and cracked hazelnuts? That's one of the highlights at Farmerie 58's new brunch service, which launches on its new patio this weekend. We also like the sound of the Crab Cake Benedict and Quiche Duo, made with housemade sausage, bell peppers, spinach and Gruyere. A comped Mimosa comes with each entree. 11am-3pm.

MONDAY

Vie's celebrated chef Paul Virant serves as special guest bartender during Shift Mondays at Pops for Champagne. Not sure what he's shaking up, but you're certain not to be disappointed. Rock star mixologists Debbi Peek and Bridget Albert will also be on hand, donating all their tips to Gilda’s Club. 9pm-2am. No cover.

And keep your fingers crossed for awesome weather so you can hang on ENO's patio for this summer-focused soiree. They're pairing five seasonal wines with cheese. 7-8pm. $25. RSVP to venue.

Publican gets BIG props from NYT

(Photo: Bob Briskey Photography)


Awwww, man.

Publican's truly hit the big time now.

New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni anoints the West Loop eatery "an outstanding newcomer" in his review and continues to gush:

"What is ultimately striking about the new generation of restaurants like Publican, which appeal as much to the glutton as to the gourmand in you, isn't their informality. It's their gaiety, an emotional tone much different from the subdued rapture so many chefs once asked you to feel."

Absolutely fantastic!

Twenty-four hours to go . . .

Hot Chocolate's Mindy Segal (Photo: Mindy Segal)


Let's get it crackin', people!

The Swan Creek Live Auction ends 9pm tomorrow (May 28), so you've still got a shot at bidding.

Who wouldn't want one of Chicago's hottest chefs cooking at their homes?! Peep the list for stars like Mindy Segal (Hot Chocolate), Koren Grieveson (avec), Randy Zweiban (Province) and Jason Hammel (Lula), who are all going for big bucks . . .

Good things come in threes

Beef & Blue Cheese Wrap, one of the offerings at Café at Wild Things! in Lincoln Park Zoo (Photo: Levy Restaurants)


OK now, we're getting closer to high tourism season in the city, and you're certain to have guests visiting.

C'mon, suck it up, you're going to have to go to places you would never go to this time of year. Luckily this summer's a little bit different, with some new dining offerings that'll make your trip as special as theirs:

Café at Wild Things!, the seasonal spot inside Lincoln Park Zoo, returns for the second year in a row. Managed by Levy Restaurants, the cafe specializes in locally grown and organic ingredients in sandwiches, salads and wraps. They're whipping up healthy tastes like the Beef & Blue Cheese Wrap, Go Bananas Pressed Sandwich and a Roasted Cauliflower and Chick Pea Salad. The restaurant's open through Labor Day weekend.

For shopaholics who find themselves along the tony Rush Street strip, a trip to Fred's at Barneys New York is inevitable. The stylish, sixth-floor restaurant feels like it's right out of New York with ultra-trendy crowds, clean lines and a simple menu of original flatbreads, pastas and entrees. And if you get there at the right time, you just might be able to snag one of those coveted seven tables on the outdoor terrace.

And speaking of outdoor dining, there's no worries getting one of the 60 tables on the terrace at Terzo Piano, Tony Mantuano's casual Italian eatery inside the Modern Wing of the Art Institute. The award-winning chef from the glamorous Spiaggia has toned down the menu here with whole wheat pasta dishes and a wonderful burger entree, Uno, Dos, Tres Burgers (mini beef burger, lamb burger, shrimp burger), paired with housemade organic fries. Open for dinner on Thursdays only. Through June, it's reservations only.

'We are "aLIVE" and well . . .'

Lonie Walker, owner of Underground Wonder Bar.


. . . proclaims a note on Underground Wonder Bar's site about its future since the hotel Elysian bought the space in which it's housed more than two years ago. The note goes on to state that the legendary after-hours music venue will remain open until May 2010, but this morning 312DD got some conflicting information.

A spokesperson for the venue said there is a possibility that date may change as the Elysian, which is directly across the street, is scheduled to knock down the building sometime in August.

As of now, Elysian has not disclosed immediate plans on what's going into the space, so Underground owner Lonie Walker is keeping her fingers crossed the demolition doesn't go down at that time. Four o'clock licenses are not easy to come by in the city, and they aren't transferable to another location.

"We're on borrowed time, but we want a 4am license," said the spokesperson. "(Lonie) opened the club 20 years ago to be a musicians' hangout, so that 4am license is key."


In other nightlife news, Addiction Sports Bar and Grill is closing.

Writes an Ultimate Insider: "So sad that Addiction bar is for sale by owner. Why can't we have a neighborhood place on Lake stay open for more than 6 months."

Not sure what happened there, but we'll keep you posted . . .

UPDATE: Underground Wonder Bar sent this message to 312DD via Twitter: "We don't know beyond May 2010. Hopefully we'll get another reprive - if not we'll move in the neighborhood."