Weekly Planner: Big Jones 2.0, Happy Hour at Rojo Gusano, Publican Anker's Fried Chicken Sandwich
Forage to Table Dinner at Steadfast
Here’s a dinner you won’t want to miss. On April 13, Steadfast is putting mushrooms in the spotlight for a special tasting menu in partnership with chef Larry Feldmeir of Sixteen. Aptly dubbed “Forage to Table,” the eight-course affair is all about foraged mushrooms, as each dish spotlights a particular variety in wholly unique fashion, along with other earthy treats like Oregon truffles. With only 26 seats available for the occasion, it promises to be an intimate — and can’t-miss — experience. Wine pairings will accompany each course, courtesy of sommelier Daphne Stratta. The cost is $175 per person and reservations can be made by emailing Daphne at dstratta@thefifty50.com. The evening begins with passed appetizers from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m., at which point dinner will commence.
Dine at Big Jones 2.0
Nearly 10 years in business, it was time for a refresh for Andersonville’s beloved Big Jones. Entering a new era, the Southern-inspired restaurant just reopened following a thorough remodel and menu update. The result is a rejuvenated dining room that features an energizing open kitchen, a “biscuit bar,” an expanded bakery program and new culinary equipment to further enhance the restaurant’s diligent work with heirloom recipes and ingredients. Delving deeper into Southern roots and history, chef Paul Fehribach has added more African and Caribbean influences to the menus, so as to better highlight the ever-changing face of Southern cookery. New dishes to look for include black-eyed pea fritters with kani sauce and tamarind-Scotch bonnet pepper sauce; and chestnut spaghetti with morel mushrooms and black walnuts. Don’t worry, though. The fried chicken, shrimp and grits and boucherie boards aren’t going anyway.
Happy Hour at Rojo Gusano
In more casual news, happy hour is now underway at a Portage Park go-to, as Rojo Gusano now offers more budget-friendly versions of menu favorites Monday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The highlight of the happy hour is the $2 tacos, including chicken tinga, pork adobo, charred butternut squash and braised short rib. There’s also $4 wine pours, $3 beers and discounted margaritas.
Fried Chicken Sandwiches at Publican Anker
If you’ve got a particular hankering for comfort food, look no further than the latest menu addition at Wicker Park’s Publican Anker. Courtesy of chef de cuisine AJ Walker, the fried chicken sandwich features crispy poultry splashed with spiced Indian honey sauce and topped with fresh cucumber slaw and creamy ranch dressing infused with fenugreek. It’s all served on two fluffy buns and served with a side of salad and a pickle.