Weekday Planner: Christmas Edition

Feast of the Seven Fishes

The Italian Christmas tradition known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes is alive and well at both Piccolo Sogno and Piccolo Sogno Due. Both restaurants are serving up an array of seafood specials on Christmas Eve, each one inspired by favorite childhood dishes of chef Tony Priolo. The dishes are offered a la carte along with the regular dinner menus. At Piccolo Sogno, these items include shellfish soup with calamari, crab, and shrimp; oysters with celery mignonette; chilled salad of poached cuttlefish, calamari, baby octopus, and shrimp; ribbon pasta with blue crab, toasted garlic, and sea urchin butter; lobster risotto with brandy, tomatoes, and tarragon; stewed salt cod with tomatoes, olives, capers, and soft polenta; and Sicilian sea salt crusted Mediterranean sea bass. At sister restaurant Piccolo Sogno Due, dishes include shellfish soup with crab crostini; wood-roasted oysters; seared sea scallop with braised leeks, chopped truffles, and white bean puree; tri-colored pasta stuffed with salmon and ricotta; lobster risotto; braised salt cod with olives, capers, and tomato over garlic spinach; and Sicilian sea salt crusted whole turbot with braised fennel and citrus-caper reduction. Reservations are encouraged for both restaurants. 

 

Gift Wrapping at Bar Toma

Here's a neat, altruistic idea. The Gold Coast's popular pizzeria Bar Toma is currently offering complimentary gift wrapping to all dinner guests between 5:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. And considering the restaurant's close proximity to Michigan Avenue's main shopping hub, it's pretty likely you'll be stocking up on gifts in the area anyway. Select wrapped presents will also include a Bar Toma gift card as an added bonus. 

Peruvian Hot Chocolate Pairing

And lastly, there's a cool hot chocolate pairing happening at Tanta through Christmas Eve. The complimentary treat is available between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., wherein chef Jesus Delgado pairs Peruvian hot chocolate with butter toasted panettone. 

- Matt Kirouac