'Daily Candy has lost its shit' . . .

. . . was the email diss that just dropped in my inbox over this morning's Daily Candy newsletter "profiling" new one sixtyblue exec chef Michael McDonald:

"Mike McDonald cooks for you, E-I-E-I-O,

New chef at One Sixtyblue, E-I-E-I-O,

Taught by Trotter, he got game, E-I-E-I-O,

And a brand new claim to fame, E-I-E-I-O,

It’s a real fine treat, and, boy, do you eat,

Meat, wheat, oh, it’s sweet, no one can compete-pete,

Dinner with Michael is its name, E-I-E-I-O,

Five-course tasting, vino, too, E-I-E-I-O,

Especially designed for you, E-I-E-I-O,

First he’ll come to your chair with attention and flair,

You’ll declare, if you dare, what you care for in your fare,

Dinner with Michael is its name, E-I-E-I-O,

Seasonal is his MO, E-I-E-I-O,

The food is fresh and goes down slow, E-I-E-I-O,

With some pickle butter here and some tuna tartar there,

Gumbo, risotto, yellowfin, and lamb, yo,

Dinner with Michael, we proclaim,

E-I-E-I-whoa."


Um, FAIL.

'King of New York Clubs' speaks out on industry

The scope of nightlife has changed for the worst, say experts, who add that in order to revive it, we must go back to the basics.

Peter Gatien—King of New York Clubs and best known as the mastermind behind Limelight, Palladium, Club USA and Tunnel—weighs in on what's next:

"We will be re-opening the Tunnel in the upcoming future. I have been gone for a while but I am now returning. Due to the failing economy we think the people have spoken and are looking to express creatively again and not this cookie cutter nightlife we have most recently been exposed and sucked into.. we lost our sense of community and togetherness.. we lost our appeal to be unique and think outside the box and where we once went out because the music drove us."—from the comments section of Down By The Hipster.

Who will take the charge in Chicago?!

Canadian export debuts in Lincoln Park

(Photo: Courtesy of Thrillist)


Thrillist checks out the chow over at Canada's famed sports lounge, Firkin & Pheasant, now open in Lincoln Park:

"The traditional menu (beer-battered fish n' chips, Guinness steak & mushroom pie, bangers & mash) is augmented with daily specials (clam chowder in sourdough breadbowl) and American action like The Firkin Angus Burger: jack, bacon, bourbon chipotle onions, and a house steak sauce whose recipe's kept as locked down as the Queen's box."

MK chef's latest sensation

MK's new commander-in-chef Erick Williams pleasantly surprised Saturday night's diners with a delicious new dish he's been tinkering around with in the kitchen.

Those in the packed dining room got a comped Duck Carbonara (made with fettucine, duck egg, duck confit, crispy duck skin) personally delivered to them by the chef. It was such a hit that they've decided to put it on the menu beginning this week, and believe us when we tell you that it's the perfect entree for cold winter nights.

Maybe, just maybe, Williams will put it on the menu as part of Wine on Wednesday, the wallet-friendly event for $25 that includes three wines and three small plates. Dishes rotate regularly so you never know what he'll come up with. And according to the flyer we were handed that night, the menu features new releases and old MK favorites paired with wines by sommelier Josh Kaplan, who's raiding the cellar each week.

That's 6-9pm every Wednesday.

EXCLUSIVE: Mercadito takes on Frontera Grill

Known for killer tacos and margaritas, New York's Mercadito opens a Chicago outpost in River North this spring. (Photo: Mercadito NYC)


We haven't had a New York invasion on the dining scene for a while, so you could imagine how gleeful 312DD was when an Ultimate Insider gave us the scoop on what's popping off this spring:

Union Square hot spot Mercadito—known for killer tacos, margaritas, mole and more—takes over the space quietly abandoned over the summer by La Pomme Rouge.

That's right, it's going to be right down the street from Rick Bayless' flawless Mexican spot Frontera Grill, so it'll be interesting to see how Mercadito takes off when it opens in March or April (that's what they're shooting for).

Mercadito means "little market" in Spanish, and owner/chef Patricio Sandoval's inspiration came from shopping experiences in Mexican markets with his mother as a child. He runs a tight ship in his three New York restaurants, so we're expecting him to bring it.

What we're really looking forward to is Mercadito's signature "tasting" menu, where guests can do samplings of guacamole, ceviche and dessert. But what will likely be the hit in its new home is the taco tasting, with perfectly portioned, savory options like the Pescado (sautéed tilapia, grilled corn, huitlacoche, manchego cheese, tomatillo salsa), Pastor (chile ancho-guajillo rubbed pork, grilled pineapple, chile de arbol salsa) and Estilo Baja (beer-battered Mahi Mahi, Mexican-style cole slaw, chipotle aioli).

That's one showdown we're looking forward to this spring!

She packed her knives . . .

Our girl Radhika Desai of Between Boutique Café & Lounge tells E! Online what she wants to do next, now that she's been booted from "Top Chef":

"I'm going to try to get the cast (of "Slumdog Millionaire") here so I can cook for them [laughs]. It makes me feel like going back to India. My family lives in all those areas that they showed. It's inspired me to go back."

We.Cannot.Wait.

Attention: Gossip Girl fans.

Chuck Bass . . . in your face . . . 7pm every Monday (starting Feb. 2) . . . drink specials . . . at Bar DeVille.

XOXO

Someone's Having a Birthday!

DJ Bear Who? spins at Vain Nightclub every Friday. (Photo: Edwin Rios)


Cue up the Birthday Song . . . three local stars shine this week:

Edwin Rios a.k.a. DJ Bear Who? (Jan. 18) is one of the hardest-working entertainers on the local nightlife scene. Spinning his own brand of hard-hitting house music, the producer/remixer/deejay holds down the outrageous Zoo Fridays at Vain every week. Check out his remixes here.

Look out for former Courtright's executive chef Ryan McCaskey (Jan. 19) to debut with his first project in the Chicagoland area sometime this summer. The highly regarded chef's meeting with architects and working on the concept so we cannot wait to see what he creates.

And Michael Kaulentis (Jan. 21) is one of the partners behind The Lucky Lady, Manor, RiNo and Stay. The showy, celeb-magnet venues draw long lines on the weekend for performances by the likes of Akon, Benji Madden, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and others.