Weekly Planner: All You Can Eat Pozole, Mezcal Dinner, Chef Ping-Pong Paddle Battle and More
All-You-Can-Eat Pozole at Dos Urban Cantina
Frigid January is a great time for endless pozole. Which is why you need to make it your mission to make it to Dos Urban Cantina on a weekly basis for their all-you-can-eat option during Sunday dinner service. For $14, diners get pork pozole spiced up with guajillo chilies and garnished with supplements like tostadas, radishes, lime, cabbage and cilantro.
West Loop Progressive Dinner
If there’s going to be a neighborhood food crawl, you can’t really do any better than the restaurant-packed West Loop. On January 19, a slew of restaurants and bars are partnering on a progressive dinner that’ll feature signature dishes at each stop. Dubbed the “West Loop Winter Safari: A Progressive Dining Experience,” the event includes Saint Lou’s Assembly, The Betty, Bar Takito, Nellcote and Green Street Local. Beginning at 6:00 p.m., participants can pick up their dining “passport” from any of the restaurants on the docket. Guests will present said passport at each stop to receive that restaurant’s signature dish. Proceeds from the evening, which cost $55, will go to Open Books. Purchase your tickets here.
Wine Tasting at Devon Seafood + Steak
The ultimate wine tasting is taking place at Devon Seafood + Steak on January 19, wherein Ferrari-Carano wines are on tap for an evening of vino bliss. From 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., attendees will have the opportunity to indulge in some appetizers and sip four Ferrari-Carano wines, including Fume Blanc and Siena. For those who opt to stick around for dinner after the tasting, they’ll receive $20 off their meal of $50 or more. The tasting costs $30 per person and reservations can be made by calling the restaurant.
Mezcal Dinner at Mercadito
If mezcal is more your style, then you’d be wise to snag a reservation at Mercadito’s upcoming Comida, Cocktails & Copitas Experiential Dinner on January 23. The five-course dinner features mezcal pours aplenty, courtesy of Éva Pelczer of Del Maguey’s East Coast Juez. The event takes place from 6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m., featuring dishes like chile pasilla Oaxaqueño with piloncillo-marinated pasilla chile, sauteed shrimp, braised onions and jalapeño-tomato broth; tlayudas of grilled crispy corn tortilla, black beans, quesillo, chorizo, avocado, tomato and salsa; and hot chocolate and churros for dessert. The dinner costs $85 per person and reservations are required. Make yours by calling Mercadito or visiting their website.
Shuck-a-thon at Sink|Swim
Oysters splash into the spotlight in a big way at Sink|Swim, as part of the restaurant’s glorious Shuck-a-thon event on January 22. The shucking and slurping contest features some of Chicago’s best oyster bars and cocktail bars, working together in teams for nautical glory. Teams include Mike Ryan of Kimpton Hotels and Jon Meyer of Broken Shaker, Marissa Huth of Dogma Group and Trevor Rose-Hamblin of Old Irving Brewery, Anthony Mitchell of Revel Room and Mark Steuer of El Che Bar and Brandon Phillips and Kevin Hickey, both of The Duck Inn. As the teams compete to shuck and eat the most oysters, attendees will be able to enjoy oyster and beer specials with no admission price to the event. It takes place from 8:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m.
Chef Paddle Battle at SPiN
Another fun culinary competition is on tap at SPiN, which brings together a bevy of local chefs for a friendly ping-pong fling. On January 23 from 7:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m., the club/restaurant/bar welcomes more than 32 chefs for a tournament like no other, with proceeds benefitting the Foundations of Music. Chefs include Jason Vincent of Giant, Michael Kornick of mk The Restaurant, Andrew Zimmerman of Sepia and Henry Hill of Dusek’s Board and Beer, among numerous others. Entry to watch the tournament is $10 per person, and guests are welcome to order plenty of food and drink while they cheer for their favorite chef. Tickets can be purchased here.