Weekday Planner: The Portage Turns Five, Burger Fest, Wow Bao Running Club, ROOF Runway
The Portage Five-year Anniversary
A community keystone in Portage Park, The Portage is poised to celebrate its five-year anniversary all next week with specials and tasting menus aplenty. Things get started on June 16 and 17 with an exclusive five-course prix fixe dinner menu executed by chef Joey Beatowill. Said menu serves as a veritable "best of" roundup of The Portage's signature items, like bacon-wrapped dates, roasted red beet salad, candied beef short rib, fried chicken, and chocolate pretzel bread pudding. Seatings both nights are available at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Mixologist Kaitlin Carrow is whipping up cocktail pairings to match, and the menus go for $55 per person. In addition, The Portage will feature weeklong drink specials, like $5 oak aged cocktails, select red and white wines, and barrel-aged beer. Then on June 19 and June 20, the restaurant will wrap things up with two raffles at 5:55 p.m. each night.
Burger Fest Returns to Rockit
Going into its 10-year anniversary, Burger Fest is back at both Rockit Burger Bar and Rockit Bar & Grill. The beefy fete contains five gourmet, offbeat burgers, one available each day from June 15 through June 19. The crafty handiwork of chef Amanda Downing, the burgers include the Banh Mi Burger on June 15, featuring a bison patty, French pate, pickled vegetables, cilantro, jalapeno, sambal aioli, and kimchi fries. On June 16, it's the Meatball Burger with buffalo mozzarella, tomato-basil marinara, ciabatta bun, and a side of pesto fries. On June 17, the Chicken Tandoori Burger comes with cucumber raita, tamarind chutney, sorrel, shaved red onion, tomato, warm naan, and poppadum chips. The Green Chile Burger on June 18 spices things up with a black Angus patty, green chile salsa, avocado, pickled red onion, shredded lettuce, queso fresco, butter bun, and jalapeno fries. Burger Fest wraps things up in style on June 19 with the Duck, Duck, Goose Burger, an indulgent dish with a duck patty, seared foie gras, warm duck confit, frisee salad, orange marmalade aioli, brioche bun, and duck fat chips.
Wow Bao's Running Club
All those decadent burgers may require some exercise to keep things on track for summer. Wow Bao to the rescue! The Lakeview location of this local bao chain started up a weekly running club that takes place every Monday. Each week, Wow Bao manager Julie Collier leads runners of all experience levels along the lakefront for a jog at 6:30 p.m. The distance of the run increases a bit each week throughout the summer as Collier trains for the next Chicago Marathon. Once the race wraps up back at the storefront, runners will be treated to ginger ale and a 20% discount on all food items.
ROOF Runway with Glossed and Found
The popular ROOF Runway series returns to theWit Hotel on June 18, complete with Glossed & Found host and creative director Graham Kostic. Inspired by East Coast summer vacation style in Glossed & Found's summer travel issue, the rooftop runway show will display various looks from Top Shop. Doors open at 4:00 p.m. and the runway gets underway at 7:00 p.m. RSVP to 312-239-9552 for express entry and no cover charge.
- Matt Kirouac