Weekday Planner: Fried Chicken & Waffle Mondays, Lunch at Joe Fish, Mexique's Cultural Crossover, Name Sake Lu'au
Fried Chicken & Waffle Mondays
Comfort food helps the Monday medicine go down smoother. Namely, fried chicken and waffles. Inspired by the fanatic success of their late-night fried chicken and waffles, Charlatan is now offering fried chicken & waffles as a weekly special on Mondays from 5:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. For the West Town restaurant, fried chicken is doubly special as a Monday promo seeing as its predecessor, West Town Tavern, was revered for its Monday fried chicken special. The dish is made with buttermilk-soaked and twice-fried chicken thighs, a malted waffle, honey butter, housemade hot sauce, pickled vegetables, Italian herbs, and Old Crow maple syrup. The three-piece meal costs $19 per person.
Mexique's Cultural Crossover
Cultures collide as Mexique's Carlos Gaytan prepares to bring his French- and Mexican-inflected stylings to Tanta for a "cultural crossover" guest chef dinner on April 29. The dinner, which starts at 6:00 p.m., is a collaborative effort between Gaytan and Tanta's Jesus Delgado, working in tandem to cook up a six-course degustation exhibiting Peruvian and Latin cuisines. Menu items include jalapeño tiradito with Peruvian bay scallop and oyster, roasted jalapeño emulsion, and avocado chalaca; paiche rice tamal with Amazon River fish wrapped and cooked with rice in banana leaves; and pato al tamarindo with duck breast, fresh corn tamal, Swiss chard, and chipotle-tamarind glaze. Cost for dinner is $110 per person or $170 with drink pairings, and tickets can be purchased by calling the restaurant or emailing events@tantachicago.com.
Nama Sake Lu'au
In honor of patio season, which will arrive sooner or later so help us god, Mott St is optimistically hosting an outdoor luau party on April 28. In collaboration with Floating World Sake and Tenzing Wine & Spirits, the al fresco soiree will run from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., featuring 10 Nama sakes plus a full buffet with items like candied shrimp, garlic fried rice, and pork roast. Tickets are a mere $25 in advance, or $30 at the door.
Eat Lunch at Joe Fish
Add Joe Fish to your lunch list, as River North reeled in another midday meal option. The seafood spot is now serving lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., plus Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. One of the standout menu options is the daily "Fish Counter Special," which is a three-course lunch for $25, featuring a daily selection of salad/appetizer, entree, and dessert. Other a la carte dishes include a "not-so-classic" Waldorf salad, Sicilian tuna salad sandwich, house-cured salmon, and butter poached lobster with eggs, creme fraiche, and shaved truffles.
- Matt Kirouac