This Is What A Carnivore's Dream Looks Like

Tavern on Rush's 'Tavern Kobe Club' via Krebs' Foodspotting page.

Tavern on Rush just introduced a bunch of new items for its spring menu, and it's quite impressive.

Especially of note is the massive Tavern Kobe Club of two Kobe patties, three decks of white Sourdough, bacon, lettuce, tomato and horseradish mayo. For some reason, that little ditty from the spot with the Golden Arches is playing in my head, but you'll pay $19.95 for this burger.

Peep the new items below:

It's A Wrap, For Paul Virant . . .

(Photos: Jamco Creative)

Award-winning chef Paul Virant (Perennial Virant, Vie) teams up with Falafill for his very own signature wrap.

With proceeds benefiting the Frontera Farmer Foundation, the wrap consists of organic black bean falafel (his own recipe), spicy mayo, pickled peppers, pea shoots, cilantro, and lemon-garlic vinaigrette.

In keeping with an organic theme, the black beans and pea shoots come from Three Sisters Garden, a small farm located in Kankakee. The peppers are made in Virant's kitchen at Perennial Virant.

It's available only in April for $6.50.

Important Stuff Happening In April

Chuy Valencia photo via the Chicago Reader.

Chicago's dining scene never slows down, as evidenced by some very cool events happening in April:

Former Top Chef Texas contestant Chuy Valencia, who formerly was a partner in Lakeview spot Chilam Balam, is writing a cookbook and needs your help. He's testing recipes for M.E.A.L.S.: Menus, Entrees, Anecdotes, Lies and Some truth to protect the innocent and equally evil and needs guinea pigs. The event happens April 2 at a private home, and you can possibly get an invite by tweeting him @chuyvalencia.

Freebie Alert: Mercadito!

Party all night at Mercadito, then return for brunch the next day, and they'll treat you special.

Through April, the trendy Mexican restaurant's offering complimentary chilaquiles (strips of fried corn tortillas simmered in salsa, and served with cheese, eggs, or beans) for those who bring a receipt from the night before.

Trust us when we tell you that it's the perfect hangover cure . . .

5 New Brunches That Rock!

The Four Seasons' Allium restaurant features this sinful display of desserts during brunch. (Photo: Allium)

If you ask me, brunch should be an all-day occasion instead of a few hours.

And while we all have our favorite go-to spots, it's always good to see what else is out there. To give you an idea of what's hot and new, I stopped by You & Me This Morning to chat with host Jeanne Sparrow about my favorite new brunch destinations in Chicagoland.

Yes! That means we even featured the 'burbs, this time highlighting acclaimed chef Dan Pancake's Autre Monde Cafe & Spirits in Berwyn.

Also getting props were the Four Seasons' Allium, Storefront Company in Bucktown, Logan Square's Jam, and BLT American Brasserie in River North.

Happy eatin'!

A Recipe For . . .

. . . Linguini with Black Pepper, Fava Beans and Bacon Cream.


Instead of cracking open a can of chicken noodle soup to celebrate these last days of National Noodle Month, you should do it up in high style.

We tracked down NoMI Kitchen chef Sean Pharr for his ridiculously decadent recipe for Linguini with Black Pepper, Fava Beans and Bacon Cream:

Brasserie by LM Opens Wednesday

Brasserie by LM interior via Urban Daddy Chicago

Acadia paved the way for the type of cuisine and cocktails South Loop foodies were looking for in their neck of the woods.

And now the team behind LM Le Restaurant hopes to ride that wave with Brasserie by LM, opening Wednesday in the Essex Inn.

Helmed by chef Brad Phillips (most recently of The Pump Room), the brasserie will highlight casual French- and American-inspired dishes ranging $12-$16, as well as a $25 three-course prix-fixe deal. Here's the entire menu.

Bang Bang Pie Shop Opens Thursday

Bang Bang Pie Shop's Lavender Coconut Cream Pie. (Photo via instagr.am.)

This news should put a smile on your face.

Bang Bang Pie Shop, a gourmet sweets spot co-owned by former Tru pastry chef Michael Ciapciak, opens Thursday in Logan Square.

Feast your eyes on some of the menu items below. Damn, is all I gotta say . . .