First Sneak Peek At Melmans, Rancics Resto

Over the weekend, RPM Italian—the trendy Lettuce restaurant boasting as owners Bill and Giuliana Rancic, siblings Molly, Jerrod and R.J. Melman, as well as chef Doug Psaltis—threw one helluva bash. The guest list was as VIP as Chicago gets, and of course, 312DD was on the scene to check it out.

One of the highlights of the night was the awesome interview I scored with the Rancis for The U's You & Me This Morning. The happy couple, who are first-time restaurateurs, were treated like royalty, but nowhere near prima donnas. They jumped in to help every chance they got, including shaking up cocktails and taking reservations over the phone.

RPM Italian opens to the public Feb. 26.

'Chicago Chef Week' Returns . . .

(Photo via San Francisco Examiner)

Soon we can look forward to Chicago Chef Week, happening March 18-23.

Organized by the Boka Restaurant Group (Balena, Boka, Girl & The Goat, GT Fish & Oyster, Perennial Virant), the fourth-annual affair gives chefs an opportunity to showcase signature items on their menus. And of course, diners get deals: It's $22 (lunch) or $39 (dinner) for a three-course, prix-fixe meal at most spots.

Paul McGee, Sterling Field Team Up For Melman Concepts

Mixologists Paul McGee (left) and Sterling Field (Photo: Darkroom Demons)

If you're a big fan of Sterling Field, the talented bartender over at Sable Kitchen & Bar, you'd better head there by Saturday because that's his last day.

He's signing off to join Paul McGee, who recently left The Whistler to take charge of the cocktail programs at Lettuce's latest projects, RPM Italian and Bub City.

Is He the Best Pastry Chef in the Midwest?!

Blackbird's Bryce Caron via starchefs.com

Blackbird's been around for more than 12 years, yet it continues to get major accolades as though it's brand new.

Last month, master mixologist Lynn House announced her participation in Sundance's first-ever Behind The Bar Series, and now their new executive pastry chef just picked up an awesome honor of his own.

Bryce Caron competed against some of the Midwest's most talented pastry chefs in Food & Wine's first-ever foray into this category. Caron's signature steamed black walnut cake with lingonberries, toasted milk and cocoa nib ice cream was what won them over.

Here's what the editors had to say about him:

Adam Seger IS On His Way to the Oscars!

Adam Seger's 'Moet Red Carpet Glamour' cocktail. (Photo: Tuan Bui)

You guys came through for the homeboy!

Local mixologist Adam Seger's quest to serve his signature cocktail at the Academy Awards is now a reality.

Moet & Chandon just announced the winner:

"The legendary Champagne House congratulates Chicago native Adam Seger, whose Moet Red Carpet Glamour cocktail dazzled a panel of expert judges and the social media community alike. The Moet Red Carpet Glamour cocktail – selected for its originality, taste and popularity – will be brought to life at the 2012 Governors Ball, the after-party of the 84th Academy Awards."

Here's the recipe for the cocktail, just in case you want to make it at home during your own Oscar party celebration:

'National Drink Wine Day' is Feb. 18

You're Welcome!

Time For Carnaval & Mardi Gras Madness

Don't you just love how Fat Tuesday and Carnaval fall on the same day this year?! For the best in indulgence, check out one—or two or three—of these sweet events happening on Feb. 21 and beyond:

25 Degrees: Just in time for the occasion, the River North burger bar's created The Nola, a spiked shake made with Southern Comfort whiskey, praline liqueur, butter pecan ice cream, and toasted pecans. It's on the regular menu. Damn.

Big Jones: Grab a large group of friends and head to this New Orleans-inspired resto for a throwback menu from The Big Easy. A Cajun Country Ramble (circa 1955) features crawfish and pork boudin balls, cracklins and cornbread, creamy potato salad, Arkansas Delta rice with butter, and Sunday file gumbo of chicken, sausage, ham, catfish, crawfish, and crab. Of course, you'll get King Cake and tac-tac. Seriously insane. $25 per person; served family style. Menu available through Feb. 26.

Two Red-Hot Chicago Spots Crack GQ's 'Best New Restaurants in America' List!

Next's dining room (Photo: Next); diners wait anxiously outside Ruxbin (Photo: Ruxbin).

Take that, New York!

GQ just released the annual Ten Best New Restaurants in America list, and two awesome Chicago spots made the cut. No other city got those honors. Yeah!

Ukrainian Village's sensational BYOB Ruxbin simply got the nod at #9 because "The thirty-two-seat room feels as if it's been carefully assembled over a lifetime," writes editor Mike Benoist.

He continues: "The menus are hand-embossed each day. And the food, like the rest of the place, is labored over. Time and energy take the place of overused, overpriced ingredients. Squid stuffed with sausage gets depth and heat from a chile paste imported from a farm in Tennessee. Cream of Wheat, enriched and amplified by lamb drippings and brown butter, is maybe the best thing I ate all year."

Wow. It's gonna be even harder to get in that place now!

And writer Michael Paterniti had this to say about Next, which came in at #3: