Tony Potempa Is Out As GM/Executive Bar Chef At The Boarding House

This is a bummer.

Tony Potempa, who's been with The Boarding House since opening as general manager and executive bar chef, is no longer with the restaurant. He curated a promising cocktail menu before leaving, which included the delicious Red Wine Margarita made with Olmeca reposado tequila.

Here is what he had to say about his departure:

These Top Intriguing Picks of Chicago Restaurant Week Will Have Your Mouth Watering

Frontier's antelope meatballs with smoked tomato, gnocchi and sage chimichurri. (Photo: Frontier)

Have you made reservations yet for Chicago Restaurant Week?!

Everybody has their favorites of where they're planning to go, but I am always curious to see which restaurants are doing the most offbeat offerings.

From antelope meatballs to rather tasty gluten-free Tagliatelle with chanterelle and truffle, here are the Top 5 most intriguing menus you'll find around town.

What Exactly Happened To The Tortoise Club Over The Weekend?!

Tortoise Club exterior (Photo: Tortoise Club)

A loyal reader who lives in Marina City—located right off the Chicago River—took note of some frantic fixing up of the first-floor Tortoise Club early Sunday morning:

The Big Payback?! Chefs, Servers, Bartenders, Others Get Revenge in the 'Review Revue'

What a brilliant way for industry folks to get back at those who've scorned them in the media or on sites like Yelp.

Local bartenders Brian Bolles and Sophie Burton have collaborated on a series called the Review Revue in which their colleagues come out to read the most scathing writeups they can find on the internet.

Chefs, servers, bartenders and restaurateurs are encouraged to read them slam poetry style, for the audience's amusement. The third edition goes down at 9:30pm Feb. 17 at Bar DeVille.

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

Brian Enyart (second from left) with Paul Virant (far left), Rick Bayless and Paul Kahan. (Photo: Enyart's Facebook)

Movers shaking sh*t up.

• For a guy with his pedigree, Brian Enyart keeps a pretty low profile. Since leaving the top post at Rick Bayless's Topolobampo in 2011, he's been out of the spotlight, but busy as hell. He worked on 17 projects for Lettuce Entertain You, which included the openings of Do-Rite Donuts, Paris Club and RPM Italian. Currently he's consulting once a month for a week in Los Angeles on various restaurant projects. What's really awesome is that the Michelin-starred chef is also sharing his culinary skills with the public by serving as a part-time instructor at The Chopping Block. Think about how lucky you will be if you pick up even a sliver of what he can do!

• Alinea's Grant Achatz is live tweeting from Lyons, France during the prestigious Bocuse d'Or. On his team (Team USA!) are culinary stalwarts Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud.

• Anthony Bourdain is set to be the main attraction at the annual National Restaurant Association Show in May.

You're Going To Have To Wait A Little Bit Longer For Three Dots and a Dash's Debut

Paul McGee photo via This Is A Cocktail Blog

While the Melman-produced Bub City has been churning along nicely for about a month, fans of the lower-level, high-concept tiki lounge Three Dots and a Dash are going to have to wait just a little bit longer.

The Paul McGee project has had a few setbacks, including suffering a bit from a fire a few weeks back at Dragon Ranch (which is still closed by the way).

A Collection Of Tasty Bites For Super Bowl

Art Smith photo courtesy of Abe's Market/Tim Hiatt

I never believed for one second that there was going to be a shortage of chicken wings during the Super Bowl.

But even though the rumor's been put to rest, it should serve as a wake-up call that we need to step outside our comfort zone when it comes to game day dishes.

Of course that's a pretty tall order to expect you to create some unique bites for your guests, so we consulted with some local experts to help you in that department.

From Art Smith's tasty turkey chili nachos to a new spin on Oysters Rockefeller, here are some trophy-worthy treats certain to please everyone. We've even included a couple of potent punches!

Grace Restaurant Hosts A Star-Studded 'Chef Social'

Grace chef Curtis Duffy hanging with EL Ideas chef Phillip Foss. (Photo via GrubStreet Chicago/Huge Galdones Photography)

There was a party Sunday night at Grace.

But this wasn't just any party. it was the Chef Social for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's annual Grand Chefs Gala. The Jean Banchet awards, which honors local culinary stars, are a big part of the black-tie event. The Chef Social is when the industry elite gets together and casts votes in categories such as Chef of the Year, Pastry Chef of the Year, Best New Restaurant and Best Mixologist.