What to Eat This Week: White Truffles at Spiaggia, Venetian Cuisine at Cicchetti, Holiday Bash at Parliament, and Grits at Lafayette

Dine in the Lap of Luxury at Spiaggia

Opulence has never tasted better than a four-course dinner of white truffle-themed haute Italian food. It's happening December 16 at Spiaggia. Tony Mantuano's elegant Italian restaurant is rolling out the red carpet at 6:00 p.m. for everyone's favorite fancy ingredient. The "degustazione di tartufo bianco" features three savory dishes and one sweet, each paired with white truffles. Dishes include diver scallops with guanciale, polenta, and brown butter; ricotta agnolotti with pecorino, lemon, and parsley; tagliata di manzo with strip loin, nebrodini mushroom, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and purple potatoes; and panna cotta with pistachio, citrus, rosemary, and lime. The menu costs $135 per person, plus $55 for optional wine pairings. Snag your tickets here.

(White truffles at Spiaggia. Photo: Spiaggia)

Eat Everything at Cicchetti

Cicchetti officially opens December 16, and it's bringing a tidal wave of Venetian small plates with it. The Streeterville restaurant features the A-Team roster of chef Mike Sheerin, along with sous chefs Phil Rubino and Sarah Jordan, and owner Dan Rosenthal, a man who has been working in the Chicago restaurant industry for 45 years. The first newly constructed Green Seal Certified restaurant to ever open in Chicago, Cicchetti offers an array of inspired Italian plates and beverages in a sleek, thoughtful setting. Unlike Sheerin's past work in modernist kitchens, here he hones in on more classic techniques and preparations. His ingredient-driven menu features the likes of aged hanger steak carpaccio, house-cured sardines, scrambled egg agnolotti with Parmesan broth, pizzas, and a Venetian seafood stew that pays dutiful homage to Venice's seaports.

Jenny McCarthy's "Naughty and Nice" Bash

Everyone's most beloved humorous pin-up, Jenny McCarthy, returns to her hometown this week to co-host a "Naughty and Nice" holiday party at Parliament. Taking place December 20 from 8:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m., the event is just like your average holiday party, with passed appetizers and ample booze, but with the added bonus of having a co-host from The View present. The $75 entry fee goes directly to McCarthy's autism charity, Generation Rescue. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit here.

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(House-cured sardines at Cicchetti. Photo: Derek Richmond Photography)

Start Your Morning With Grits at Lafayette

Chicago French Market's resident New Orleans-inspired eatery heats up the morning hours with a new grits breakfast station. Far better than your standard breakfast of oatmeal and lethargy, Lafayette' s set-up allows diners to top their cheesy grits with a bevy of house-roasted meats, seafood, eggs, and vegetables. It's the new breakfast of champions.