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.

Michael McDonald Landed at Gold Coast Hot Spot Luxbar--Eight Months Ago

Photo via Time Out Chicago

The mad talented Michael McDonald—the chef, not the singer—was ousted from one sixty blue a year ago as it made its transition to belly Q. We hadn't heard from him since until Thursday when we ran into him at Luxbar.

McDonald tells 312DD that he's been the popular Gold Coast restaurant's executive chef for about eight months, but he wanted to play it low key and work on the menus behind the scenes.

Luxbar, which is owned by the group behind Gibsons, Hugo's Frog Bar, Quartino and RL, is quite the transition for the classically trained, fine-dining chef whose resume boasts high-profile positions at Everest, Restaurant Charlie Trotter (Las Vegas), a couple of Four Seasons properties, and Nobu at the Shore Club Hotel in Miami.

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

Don't let the cold weather slow you down . . .

• One way to fight off the chill is to attend Red Door's fundraiser featuring the city's coolest chefs in a chili cook-off. The event benefits the Chicken Freedom Project, an initiative by Slagel Family Farms to purchase and convert an existing five-acre commercial, caged chicken and egg facility into a cage-free, old-fashioned farm operation in Central Illinois. Participating chefs include Red Door's Troy Graves, plus John Manion (La Sirena Clandestina), Eric Mansavage (Farmhouse), Enoch Simpson (endgrain), Mark Steuer (Carriage House) and Matt Troost (Three Aces). Tickets are $25, includes food and one Olmeca Altos cocktail, and may be purchased here. 6pm Jan. 28 and Yours Truly is the Special Guest Judge.

• A bunch of Chicago bartenders are going to Occupy NYC this weekend in what they're calling 24 Bartenders, 24 Hours. Their sked is absolutely hectic with a boozy brunch, Skeeball tournament, tattoo sessions, karaoke and more. There's a charity attached to the madness; they're raising $$$ for the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation. In on the fun are organizers Daniel de Oliveira (Olmeca Altos) and Sergio Serna (The Drawing Room), plus Charles Joly (The Aviary), Josh Pearson (Sepia), Mea Leech (belly Q) and Paul Sauter (Double A). I guess it's going to be pretty difficult getting a drink around town Sunday night!