Honey Butter Fried Chicken and Lula Cafe Team Up For Picnic-inspired Farm Dinner

As summer inches closer, thoughts turn from crock pots to picnic baskets, and comfort food cravings segue from braised meat to fried chicken. To appease those warm weather yearnings, Honey Butter Fried Chicken will make a guest appearance at Lula Cafe for a special picnic-inspired farm dinner on Monday, June 3. Host chef Jason Hammel will roll out the picnic blanket (ya know, instead of a red carpet) for guest chefs Christine Cikowski and Joshua Kulp of the forthcoming fried chicken restaurant. The three-course event is a dual showcase for farmers' market ingredients and a crispy preview of the pending restaurant.

The menu begins with a "picnic basket" of appetizers prepared by Lula, including housemade chèvre with green strawberry jam and smoked almond honey, La Quercia speck with black olive oil and Lula garden herbs, and nasturtium soup with buttermilk and pickled trout. Honey Butter provides the main "supper" course, featuring their namesake fried chicken with honey butter, adjoined by spring-y sides such as roasted asparagus salad, fusilli with ramp goddess dressing, and cornbread. For dessert, Lula winds things down with rhubarb crumble pie and honey lavender ice cream, while Honey Butter slings caramel corn.

Dinner is served at two seatings, the first at 6:00 p.m. and the second at 8:30 p.m. The cost is $55 per person, plus tax, gratuity, and an extra $25 for wine pairings by Maverick Wine Company. A portion of the proceeds go to Community Dinners, a local soup kitchen. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Lula at 773-489-9554.

(Graphic via Honey Butter Fried Chicken)