Notes From . . .

(Photos: Susan Schmidt Donaldson)

. . . Hanzell Vineyards Wine Dinner at Bespoke Cuisine.

• The Sonoma, Calif.-based winery's been around since 1957, cranking out premium chardonnay and the nation's first-ever pinot noir.

• More than 20 members from Hanzell's Chicago Chapter Ambassador's Circle gathered for a multi-course, interactive dining event at the West Loop venue. 312DD was invited to participate.

• Bespoke Cuisine's Executive Chef/owner Kim Shambrook and chef de cuisine Calvin Roberson led the diners in creating each course. Teams broke into four groups and were paired with a chef to prepare a dish.

Exclusive Sneak Preview of Trump's Summer Cocktail Program

The "Magnificent" drink-for-two (left) and Mandarin Vanilla Float with Goose Island Vanilla Soda and a beaker of Combier Orange Liqueur. (Photos: Trump Chicago)

Leave it to The Terrace at Trump to take its summer cocktail menu to extravagant levels.

Executive Chef Michael Fiddler and Executive Pastry Chef Sarah Kosikowski get in on the action, adding culinary accents to a number of classic summer drinks ranging $18-$85.

$85 for a cocktail?!

Yeah, I thought that was nuts too, but they've commissioned local artist Eric Bladholm to create custom, blown-glass carafes for the Magnificent, a cocktail-for-two with Absolut Sweet Tea Vodka, white cranberry juice, sliced peaches, mint and a splash of elderflower.

Most cocktails will also include fresh juices and exotic ingredients, but what we're extremely excited about is the Secret Shake—an off-the-menu item that will only be available upon request. It's a concoction from Chef Kosikowski, with house-made caramel spiked ice cream and Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey Whiskey, served in a pint glass for $12.

Peep the entire menu below:

Rockit's Top Mixologist Moves On . . .

drumBAR's Benjamin Newby.

Let's just say he's going back to his roots.

Underground head mixologist and operator Benjamin Newby is more of a cocktail lounge specialist than nightlife impresario, so it's no surprise he leapt at the chance to become vice president of nightlife for Menin Hotels—which owns the forthcoming drumBAR.

But have no fear, he's not going totally corporate. Newby's infamous "cocktail kits," or "tableside mixology" that created more of a communal mixology experience at UG (as well as other Rockit Ranch Productions venues), will live on at drumBAR when the ultra-sexy lounge opens on the Raffaello Hotel's rooftop in June. And on those nights when the outdoor terrace isn't so favorable, the indoor "speakeasy-style" lounge includes a fireplace, sweeping bars and sky-high ceilings.

Mother's Day Dining (& Drinking!) Around Town

It's her big day and she can do whatever she wants.

And since no Mom should go hungry no matter what she winds up doing, I've created this mini-Mother's Day Guide for Dining at ChicagoShopping.com.

Enjoy It!

G.E.B. Chef Hits Prime Time on Bravo Show

(Photo: Bravo)

John Vermiglio serves as sous chef at G.E.B. when it opens in June.

But before that happens, look for this Michigan native on Bravo's latest chef-driven reality show, Around The World in 80 Plates, when it premieres at 9pm Wednesday.

The talented young chef is no stranger to high-pressure kitchens (he previously worked at Charlie Trotter's and Table Fifty-Two) or television, so we're looking forward to see what he brings to the 10-week series.

To get an idea, 312DD asked him a few questions:

'I Thought This Day Would Never Come'

That was North Pond's Bruce Sherman on Monday in New York as he accepted his first-ever James Beard award for Best Chef: Great Lakes. He had been nominated previously for the prestigious award five years in a row, and this year he was up against exceptionally strong contenders in Chicago's Stephanie Izard (The Girl & The Goat), Andrew Zimmerman (Sepia) and Michael Carlson (Schwa).

He told ABC-7's Steve Dolinsky in his first post-win interview:

"The most difficult part of doing what we do is keeping it up. It's persistence, stubbornness, whatever you want to call it...and it's maintaining standards and keeping it up."

Sherman was one of three Chicago winners this year.

Mercer One Thirteen Opens Thursday

Mercer's interior boasts an "earthy" atmosphere. (Photos: Mercer One Thirteen)

This weekend, Mercer One Thirteen joins a jam-packed block of trendy favorites that range from the Asian-focused Slurping Turtle to fashionable steakhouse Epic.

It's owned by Roman Sanchez, who's been tinkering with sports-bar ventures lately with Social 25 and Moe's Cantina). Though it'll have televisions for sports viewing, Mercer promises to be a lot more glam, with a plushy, yet earthy setting and focusing more on food.

Here's a sneak preview of the menu:

Hot Chocolate Reopens This Week

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

In mid-April, 312DD reported that Hot Chocolate was closing for a few weeks to undergo some renovations.

It's been open for more than 10 years and owner Mindy Segal (freshly crowned James Beard's Outstanding Pastry Chef 2012) decided it was time for an update. As scheduled, the Bucktown mainstay reopens in time for Mother's Day. Segal told 312DD Monday that she's "planning to reopen Wednesday."

What to expect?!