Weekday Planner: Tomato Menu at Green Zebra, "West Winds" Dinner at Lula Cafe, CH Distillery's Third Anniversary and Bistronomic's Green City Market Lunch
Tomato Menu at Green Zebra
Summer is high time for ALL THE PRODUCE. And what better place to celebrate than one of Chicago’s pioneering vegetarian restaurants, Green Zebra. The West Town institution has rolled out its fresh new summer menus, complete with a rotating array of weekly specials inspired by ingredients at their seasonal peak. For the week of August 9 through 12, that means tomatoes. For these nights, the restaurant will feature a four-course tomato-themed tasting menu featuring dishes like sliced heirloom tomatoes with fresh shaved cucumber, gelee, and basil; and roasted stuffed tomato with ratatouille, charred sweet pepper puree, and shaved summer squash.
“West Winds” Dinner at Lula Cafe
As former Intro chef-in-residence Jessica Largey prepares to open her own restaurant, Simone, in Los Angeles, she’s back in town for a special event at Lula Cafe that you won’t want to miss. On August 8, Largey will team with Lula’s Sarah Rinkavage for a five-course guest chef dinner for $70 per person. Dubbed “West Winds” for the combo of West Coast meets Windy City, the collaborative dinner will entail both chefs working together on each and every course. Expect a variety of fresh produce from Largey’s favorite southern California farmers’ markets, coupled with the best of the season from the Midwest. This will echo on the beverage side of the meal as well, with local beers and California wines sharing menu space. Reservations can be made by calling Lula.
CH Distillery Celebrates Third Anniversary
It’s hard to believe it’s only been three years since CH Distillery opened in the West Loop and forever changed the way Chicagoans drink. The distillery and bar quickly cemented itself as a go-to for locally made spirits, both at the bar itself and at other restaurants, stores, and bars all over town. To celebrate the milestone, CH is hosting a special event coinciding with Market Days festivities in Boystown on August 11 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. They’ll be in attendance at the summer fete serving cocktails from their CH Mobile Lounge, and they’ll be showcasing vodka cocktails served at participating bars and restaurants.
Mathieu’s Green City Market Lunch at Bistronomic
As chef/owner Martial Noguier welcomes his son Mathieu back to Bistronomic, the chef is getting right down to business with a special weekly Green City Market lunch menu celebrating the best of the season and the local farmers’ market. Available every Thursday and Friday this summer, Mathieu’s ever-changing menu consists of two courses, and the cool part is guests determine if they want to pay $17 or $19 for it, depending on how their expectations were met.
- Matt Kirouac