Local Family Sends Pizza To Troops For Super Bowl

Uno's famous deep-dish pizza.

This story just warms my cold heart on this blustery day.

The third-annual Operation Pizza Bowl is what an Elk Grove, Ill., family calls its mission to send more than 7,000 pizzas to military troops serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and Korea—just in time for the Super Bowl.

Apparently, Uno's is responsible for making most of the deep-dish pizzas, and a private label pizza company helped with the rest.

SO awesome!

Is Someone Impersonating Cyrano's Chef?!

(Photo of Didier Durand via the Chicago Sun-Times)

Could this possibly be true?!

Was passed along this email by an Ultimate Insider, which was randomly and allegedly sent to him by Cyrano's owner/chef Didier Durand:

Brave The @#$%^&*&^%$ Blizzard!

(Photo via Favors in the City)

Leave it to my Mom to start reciting the "Ant and the Grasshopper" to me now that the Blizzard of 2011 is upon us. And I will admit that I'm a bit of a grasshopper when it comes to getting ready for these events, but I know I'll be fine in the end.

One of the reasons is because I've got the stamina—and the right winter boots—to trek it to a cool spot for yummy cocktails and cuisine. Plus, many are doing noteworthy deals in our time of need:

Your First Look Inside Bistronomic

Bistronomic exterior (Photo: Ari Bendersky/Eater Chicago)

Eater's got the first photos inside Gold Coast eatery Bistronomic, which was Eve for the last few years.

Helmed by former Cafe Des Architectes chef Martial Noguier, the restaurant is set to open Friday.

Where A Rising Star Chef Dines On Off Days . . .

Dave Beran (left) with Grant Achatz. (Photo: Grant Achatz)

It's not every day you get to sit next to a world-class chef for two hours. So when I got my chance at the Grand Chefs Gala Friday, I didn't let it go to waste.

I was lucky enough to sit next to Dave Beran, the chef de cuisine of Alinea as well as chef of the upcoming and highly anticipated Next restaurant in the Warehouse District.

Beran was pretty tight-lipped on Next's opening date, yet very eager to share some of his favorite local dining destinations when he gets a rare night off.

What A Night For Chicago Chefs!

Kith & Kin's Andrew Brochu (left) shows off his Jean Banchet medal with Olmeca Altos Tequila brand ambassador Daniel de Oliveira at "Grand Chefs Gala" Friday. (Photos: 312 Dining Diva)

Avenues' Curtis Duffy was MIA at the annual Grand Chefs Gala Friday benefiting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. And too bad because he won the most coveted prize of the night: the Jean Banchet award for Celebrity Chef.

Had the talented toque been there, it would have been one hell of a reunion. Andrew Brochu, who worked with Duffy at Alinea, took home the award for Best Neighborhood Restaurant as executive chef at Kith & Kin.

Dave Beran picked up Alinea's award for Best Fine Dining. The chef de cuisine, who will also lead the team at the upcoming Next restaurant, worked with Duffy and Brochu at Alinea.

Freebies . . . on Friday . . .

Former "Hell's Kitchen" cheftestant Connie Lovely Jackson hosts an event at Kenmore Live Studio this weekend. (Photo: Connie Lovely Jackson)

Low on cash, but got an appetite for the good life?! Every Friday, 312DD features the best bargain bets around town:

Chicago Cut Steakhouse: Scotch lovers should drool at the thought of this tasty deal going on at the downtown steakhouse. Chivas 18 will be in the house 5:30-7pm Friday, offering gratis cocktails and tastings.

DMK Burger Bar: Sales from DMK's 2011 calendar benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository. And if you get yours through Jan. 31, you'll get a free Bardstown Bacon-Bomber Milkshake.

Hop Along To These Haute Cuisine Spots

Leopold's smoked rabbit entree comes with mustard spaetzle, caramelized fennel, onions and duchesse prune glaze. (Photo: Huge Galdones of galdonesphotography.com)

We've seen more rabbit-focused dishes this season than ever before, but could it be a coincidence?!

Beginning Feb. 3 is The Year of the Rabbit (signifying luck, tactfulness and thoughtfulness)—for the Chinese New Year—and there's a lot of yummy goings-on that may or may not have to do with the special occasion.

Sunda, the celebrity-infested resto in River North, is doing its annual homage to the Chinese New Year, but sadly there will be no rabbit on the menu.

From Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, they're doing a special, family-style menu that's $40 per person. Some of the featured dishes include hot and sour soup; a dim sum duet of shrimp or vegetable spring rolls and sticky rice; ruby prawns in a secret glaze; and beef short ribs in a black pepper sauce and accompanied by broccolini. Dessert is included in the meal.

Guests who make reservations at 7pm Feb. 3 will be entertained by live performances of the "dragon dance." It's to bring good fortune to all.

You can also celebrate The Year of the Rabbit by chowing down on these rabbit dishes elsewhere: