M Burger Now Serves Breakfast & Do-Rite Donut Holes At Thompson Center Location

Breakfast at M Burger now includes Do-Rite Donuts. (Photo: M Burger)

Good news for those working in the Loop: The Thompson Center location of M Burger now serves breakfast.

But it's not just any breakfast; they've joined forces with Do-Rite Donuts to satisfy that sweet tooth with treats like the buttermilk Old Fashioned as well as assorted flavors of donut holes.

Tanqueray's Mixology Expert On Chicago's Vibrant Bar Scene, Cocktail Trends & More

Angus Winchester, global brand ambassador for Tanqueray. (Photo: Tanqueray)

I warmed up to Angus Winchester the moment he told me his favorite cocktail was The Negroni.

The dashing Englishman, who was in town last week for the Tanqueray Green Room Tour, serves as the well-known spirit's global brand ambassador, which means he is one hell of a cocktail expert.

Winchester has one of the greatest jobs on the planet: He travels the world sharing his vast knowledge of gin, cocktail culture and his experiences in the scene (The James Bond of Bartending?!). He's so popular, in fact, that he was named the Best International Brand Ambassador during last summer's Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. On Tuesday, the talented 'tender was named Wine Enthusiast's Mixologist/Brand Ambassador of the Year.

Chicago was one of several cities on the tour he visited to conduct a number of cocktail seminars and bartender evaluations. A few hours were also set aside to hang with several of us food & drink writers at some of his favorite bars in town.

He took us to The Aviary, Sable Kitchen & Bar and Violet Hour, which he believes have some of the city's best gin cocktails. We sipped a number of classics, including the Aviation, Bee's Knees, Gimlet, and, of course, the Negroni.

During our little cocktail pub crawl, he answered a few burning questions:

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

"No Reservations" star Anthony Bourdain is coming to Chicago!

It's a very busy week. Check it out . . .

• Tickets go on sale at 10am Nov. 16 for Good vs. Evil: An Evening With Anthony Bourdain & Eric Ripert. The event happens at the Auditorium Theatre on May 9, 2013, and this thing WILL sell out immediately, so you should jump on it. The Bristol's Chris Pandel will serve some of his signature bites as part of the program.

• Eater Chicago takes a look at the good, bad and ugly of the Michelin Chicago stars for 2013, including the snubbing of Paul Virant (Perennial Virant, Vie) and Bruce Sherman (North Pond).

• The Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence nominees are in. Most interesting is that mixologist Paul McGee got a nod for Three Dots and a Dash, which hasn't opened yet. The awards will be presented on Feb. 8, 2013, at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's annual Grand Chefs Gala.

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel Believes Blackbird Deserves Two Michelin Stars, Plus More Predictions

Blackbird exterior via Taste with the Eyes.

"I've argued for two years that Blackbird's one-star rating is too low; perhaps this will be the year Blackbird moves up," Vettel writes about the venerable West Loop hot spot.

The 2013 edition of the Michelin Chicago guide comes out Nov. 14, so we will just have to wait and see, but these predictions are always fun to read.

Will.I.Am, Russell Simmons, Obama Staffers Party Into Wee Hours On Election Night at Primebar

Too bad I couldn't get a photo!

President Obama campaign staffers and a host of celebs that included Russell Simmons, Will.I.Am and former Destiny's Child star Michelle Williams partied hard at Primebar following the president's election night speech at McCormick Place.

Celebrity DJ Cassidy spun the tunes as the likes of Valerie Jarrett and Obama's former right hand man, Reggie Love, finally got the opportunity to blow off some steam on the dance floor. The party went until 3:30am as guests celebrated with champagne and hors d'ouevres.

The Prez and First Lady were nowhere in sight . . .

Charlie Trotter’s, Glazed & Infused Pastry Vet Christine McCabe Breaks Out On Her Own

Pastry photos via InterUrban

Our friends at Urban Daddy Chicago have uncovered a secret walk-up window café located in a Lincoln Park alley from a Trotter's pastry alum.

Christine McCabe was also the opening chef for the Glazed and Infused doughnut shop, but you won't find any of those on her new menu at Interurban Cafe & Pastry Shop. Instead, you'll find tasty items like vanilla-cranberry scones, fruit-infused granola bars, red velvet "cake bites," and cupcakes in every flavor.

Michelin Guide Reveals Chicago's 2013 Bib Gourmands

Au Cheval made Michelin's Bib Gourmand list along with 19 new restaurants. (Photo: Au Cheval)

Eater Chicago has the scoop on Michelin Chicago's 2013 Bib Gourmands (defined as two courses and wine or dessert for $40 a head), which includes 19 new restaurants.

New to the list include Au Cheval, City Tavern and Storefront Company. I'm a little shocked, however, that City Tavern made the list, considering the fact the South Loop restaurant recently experienced some turmoil with the dismissal of chef Kendal Duque . . .

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

Tru partner/executive chef Anthony Martin (Photo: Anthony Martin)

All is right in the universe . . .

• Peep a host of hot new fall dishes from Tru's Anthony Martin on YouTube.

• Indulge in chef-driven fried chicken from the likes of Bill Kim (bellyQ), Takashi Yagihashi (Slurping Turtle) and Matthias Merges (Yusho).

• The U.S. Bartenders Guild of Illinois' Hurricane Sandy benefit at Salud Monday raised $8,011.92. WOW. The money will go to the U.S. Bartenders Guild of New York, who will put the money to good use.

• GT Fish & Oyster's Giuseppe Tentori launches brunch on Nov. 17 with tasty items like Biscuits and Lobster Gravy and crab Benedict. We're also looking forward to the French toast from his talented pastry chef, Sarah Jordan. It'll be crafted with key lime, grapefruit and mascarpone.