Weekly Planner: Lunch at Ronero, Summer Ice Cream Flavors, Social Brunch and More

Lunch at Ronero

The West Loop’s hot new Ronero just got a smidge hotter with the addition of lunch service. Since opening back in late-December, the rum-fueled tropical oasis has been packing in customers clamoring for Latin-accented bites and sips. Now, with chef Cory Morris’ new lunch offerings, there’s even more to savor. The menu offers a three-course prix fixe option, featuring a salad, entree, side and dessert, plus a non-alcoholic beverage for a scant $24. Dishes to choose from include ensalada de palmito with hearts of palm and coconut crema, chicken thigh skewers with salsa verde, skirt steak with chimichurri rojo, yucca with rocoto aioli and rice pudding with pineapple and almonds. In addition to the prix fixe, Ronero has a few a la carte sandwiches to choose from, including a jibarito with crispy plantains, pork shoulder, pickled mango and queso fresco, and a crispy bass version with Dijon aioli, shaved Brussels sprouts slaw and tomatoes. Lunch is served Tuesday through Sunday from noon until 3:00 p.m. 

More Brunch at La Sirena Clandestina

In other daytime dining news, La Sirena Clandestina has expanded its brunch offerings and hours to include Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Replacing lunch service, the brunch program now runs from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Sunday. Brunch dishes include frango frito, a fried chicken dish with sweet potato, coconut and garlic vinaigrette, and feijoada with steak, linguica sausage, bacon, black beans, rice, malagueta salsa and a fried egg. 

 

Ronero
Ronero

Summer Hours (and Flavors) at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

Here’s something delicious to scream about: the return of summer hours and new seasonal flavors at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. The revered Ohio-based scoop shop, which now has three local locations, is now scooping until late at night at all outposts, providing plenty of opportunity to sample new flavors like Savannah Buttermint, a refreshing blend of peppermint ice cream, sea salt, butter and chocolate flecks. The brambleberry sorbet is another bright, fruity option, along with the mango buttermilk frozen yogurt. 

“Social Brunch” at La Storia

Family-style, communal and lively brunch is the bill of fare at the Gold Coast’s La Storia Ristorante. Served from 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on weekends, the seasonally driven affair offers an abundance of food at a bargain price, along with cocktails. For $30 per person, diners get to partake in an array of starters, pizzas, entrees and large-format shareable cocktails. Full table participation is required for the spread. 

For drinks, guests their choice of one per two people, with options including a bottle of Prosecco with seasonal juices and purees, a Bloody Mary carafe and seasonal fruit sangria. For starters, guests get their choice of two for the table, with dishes like avocado and lobster toast, caprese salad, focaccia, monkey bread and salumi. Then it’s on to pizza, with choice of one per table. There’s a pesto pizza with guanciale, fried egg, ricotta and basil pesto, and a margherita option. Then there’s the entree selections, with choice of two per table, from Benedict Florentine and frittatas to steak and sunny-side up egg and meatballs with polenta. 

An a la carte menu is also available, along with additional cocktails like bellinis and cucumber coolers.  

Top