Who's Hot This Fall . . .

Ryan Poli of Tavernita. (Photo: Tavernita)

GrubStreet Chicago's getting us ready for fall with this sweet slideshow preview of the city's most anticipated restaurant openings, including the likes of BAR TOMA, Balena and Tavernita.

The best part of this story? Interviews with several high-profile chefs on why they think these restaurants will succeed.

Great to see these guys supporting each other!

Exclusive Sneak Preview of Morso Lounge

Matthew "Choo" Lipsky behind the bar at the sleek, upper-level Morso Lounge. (Photos: jamco new media)

When I got a last-minute invite to be the first person to check out Matt Maroni's highly anticipated Morso's upstairs lounge for Saturday night, hell yeah I said yes.

I didn't know what to expect from the guy known as the poster boy for Chicago's food truck movement and the owner of Gaztro-wagon, which cranks out delicious street food sandwiches and such almost daily.

I guess I expected an extension of Gaztro-wagon—which was what we got—yet delivered with far more sophistication than could be done on a mobile vehicle. The cuisine and cocktails have phenomenal potential.

Morso's mixologist is Matthew "Choo" Lipsky, formerly of The Southern. What Choo loves about this opportunity is that he's allowed to go absolutely crazy behind the bar, allowing him to create concoctions behind his wildest dreams by using ingredients and spirits typically overlooked by other bartenders.

Mercadito Chef's Encounter With JHud

On his flight from Chicago to NYC Thursday, Mercadito chef/partner Patricio Sandoval snagged a first-class seat next to newly svelte star Jennifer Hudson.

He admitted that he was a tad bit star struck, but not so much that he didn't pay attention to her eating "habits:"

Best Customer Service Story EVER.

Peter Shankman (left) with tuxedoed server from Morton's Hackensack. (Photo: Peter Shankman)

I guess you can say there are benefits to having more than 100,000 Twitter followers. And it certainly helps if you're also a whiz when it comes to social media networking.

New York consultant Peter Shankman—who tweets @petershankman—received one of the best receptions ever Wednesday night when he arrived at Newark Airport to find a Morton's Steakhouse server waiting for him with a bag filled with "a 24 oz. Porterhouse steak, an order of Colossal Shrimp, a side of potatoes, one of Morton's famous round things of bread, two napkins and silverware."

How did this happen?!

Can He Bounce Back?!

Chef James Toland of The Black Sheep. (Photo: Lorenzo Tassone)

The troubles plaguing the The Black Sheep have been well documented by Eater Chicago.

The West Town restaurant has only been open for about a couple of months, but it quickly became known more for its drama behind the scenes than for the food. THAT is not a good thing.

But James Toland, chef/owner of TBS, insisted in a recent interview with Chicago magazine's Dish that all is good on the homefront:

'Top Chef' Star 'Hosts' Italian 'Movie Night'

"Top Chef" fan favorite Fabio Viviani created the gourmet popcorn recipes for an Italian "movie night" in Chicago. (Photo: Courtesy of Antonio Busiello)

You'd better act fast if you want tickets to this free event featuring goodies by Top Chef "fan favorite" Fabio Viviani.

The affable Italian-born culinary star won't actually be in the house for Prosecco & Popcorn at the Music Box at 6:15pm August 30, but his recipes will. (Apparently, he'll only be making an appearance at a similar event in Miami on August 25.)

Common Threads' First-Ever Cook-Off

When Common Threads throws a cookout, you know it's going to be anything but ordinary.

Co-founded by Table Fifty-Two's Art Smith, the kiddie culinary-oriented nonprofit has gathered some of the city's best chefs and mixologists for this first-ever event.

The benefit happens 6:30-9:30pm Sept. 15 at Fulton's on the River, with participating chefs creating and serving their favorite cookout-themed dishes in one of four categories: in a glass, on a bun, in a shell or on a stick. Guests are encouraged to sample each dish and vote on their favorite in each category for the chefs to win prizes.

Here's who will be on deck:

The 8 Dumbest Restaurant Laws

Photo via zagat.com.

Zagat managed to dig up the 8 stupidest statutes for restaurants across the country, including no buying drinks for female bartenders (Hello, Maryland!), you can’t be drunk in a bar (Thanks, Texas!) and beer and pretzels can’t mix (WTF, North Dakota?!).

Somehow, however, Chicago got overlooked as food truck operators continue their battle against the ban on mobile restaurants cooking food on board. And now that some local legislators and restaurant advocates are attempting to limit the vehicles to operating in "food deserts" only (banning them from serving the downtown area), matters could get worse.

If that's not dumb, then I don't know what is . . .