Get Into St. Paddy's Day Spirit With Green-Themed Offerings

Photo courtesy of Magnolia Bakery

Many restaurants and bars around town are getting into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with green-themed offerings. From specially designed cocktails to magically delicious cupcakes, here are some of the very best:

• Bel 50. The River North-based waffle house sits right in the middle of the action when all of the St. Paddy’s Day festivities go down this weekend. BEL 50’s menu is comprised of sweet and savory offerings, and for the occasion, the kitchen’s whipped up its version of corned beef hash with onion, cabbage and a fried egg. Those ingredients are stuffed inside a parsley and scallion-infused waffle that’s, of course, green. It’s best paired with green apple and cabbage slaw or parmesan-truffle tater tots.
• The Gage. Thomas Mooneyham taps into his Irish heritage behind the bar at this Irish-owned eatery and cocktail lounge in the Loop. This year, the talented ‘tender’s created two tipplers that should replace all those whiskey shots you plan on having. He’s whipping up the Jameson Mule (Jameson Select Black Barrel, lime juice, Goslings Ginger Beer) and the Green Ranger (Jameson Select Black Barrel, Green Chartreuse, kiwi syrup, lime juice), plus an exclusive Half Acre beer created just for the occasion.

Thomas Mooneyham photo courtesy of The Gage

• Jam. If you thought Logan Square was too cool to join in on the revelry, think again. On March 16-17, you’ll find on the trendy restaurant’s menu a dish of house-made corned beef, poached egg, celery root soda bread pudding, and sweet & sour Brussels sprouts.
• Magnolia Bakery. If you think people don’t get excited when they see colorful cupcakes, think again. Magnolia’s gone overboard with green, including vanilla and chocolate buttercream frosted cupcakes decorated with shamrocks and clovers; the “cupcake of the month” with pistachio meringue buttercream; and a flourless chocolate cupcake dressed in a fluffly green vanilla bean meringue buttercream.
• Rebar. You’re guaranteed not to be in the company of rowdy St. Paddy’s Day revelers if you head to Trump’s sophisticated mezzanine lounge. What you can expect are two signature sippers, so you can silently partake in the festivities and check out the “green” Chicago River. The Shamrockatini’s made with Jameson, Godiva white chocolate and crème de Menthe, and the Leprechaun Elixir is Rebar’s take on the classic Irish coffee.  

Rebar Shamrockatini courtesy of Trump Chicago

• Ripasso. For six weeks, beginning March 12, Ripasso chef/owner Theo Gilbert is transforming his Italian-focused restaurant into Red-Headed Step Child—an Irish-and-Italian-inspired pop-up eatery. The temporary restaurant will raise money for youth rugby (one of the Gilbert’s passions) and will serve classic Irish dishes as interpreted by the chef. Look forward to items such as Shepherd’s pie (Guinness braised short ribs, peas, onion and carrots, topped with baked whipped potatoes), Craibheachain (creamy salad of chilled crab, scallops, mussels and herbs) and a house-cured, slow-cooked ham shank with Savoy cabbage.
• Sprinkles. Don’t be alarmed that your favorite red velvet cupcake has gone green. It still has the same moist chocolate flavor, but now it’s tinted green with cream cheese frosting and the signature dot in green. Also, the Irish chocolate cupcake may not be a pot o’ gold, but it’s rich! It’s made of Belgian dark chocolate cake topped with a Bailey’s Irish cream cheese frosting. Now, it wouldn’t be festive without the green; it’s adorned with a shamrock.