—Baconfest Chicago will take place at the UIC Forum, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd., on Saturday, April 20. The lunch session will be 12:30-3 p.m., and the dinner session will be 6:30-9 p.m., with a one-hour VIP event happening before each. A panel of judges bestows the Golden Rasher Awards on chefs and guests for achievement in the bacon arts. Tickets are $100 each; see baconfestchicago.com for more details.
—Troquet, 1834 W. Montrose Ave., will celebrate its one-year anniversary Thursday, March 7. To commemorate the occasion, the restaurant will offer a $2 Croque Monsieur (usually $8). In addition, Troquet's menu features a variety of other croque sandwiches including a Croque Madame with a fried egg for $10 and a Croque Végétarian with caramelized onions, brie and spinach for $8. See www.TroquetChicago.com .
—Cru Kitchen & Bar, 25 E. Delaware Pl., is hosting an Oscar viewing party 5:30-10:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, with nominee-themed cocktails and prizes. Cocktails include the Lincoln (with Old Overholt Rye, Campari, Vermouth and orange bitters); Zero Dark Thirty (Famous Grouse Scotch, Cherry Heering, Punt e Mes and orange); and the Amour (Death's Door Gin, raspberry, lemon and egg white). See www.CruKitchen.com or call 312-337-4001.
—Kanela Old Town is now open at 1552 N. Wells St. This is the restaurant's second location, and is owned by Chris Lardakis (owner of Kanela Breakfast Club in Lakeview) and Alexi Giannoulias (former Illinois state treasurer). Kanela will be open daily for breakfast, brunch and lunch beginning at 6:30 a.m. See www.kanelacafe.com .
—Chicago q, 1160 N. Dearborn St., will celebrate National Chili Day Thursday, Feb. 28, with a cup of chili with cornbread, either poblano cheddar or honey butter, for $8.50. (A bowl of chili will also be available for $10.25.) Call 312-642-1160.
—The foodie social event Dishcrawl will take place Tuesday, March 12, in Lakeview. (The Feb. 27 event in the West Loop is sold out.) The event—in which people will visit four restaurants in one night—will take place at 7 p.m. and costs $45. Visit http://dishcrawl.com/chicago.
—The Glunz Tavern, 1202 N. Wells St., is now serving Sunday brunch. Among the dishes are Glunz Tavern hash (with roast chicken with sage, sweet potato, Brussels sprouts and poached egg topped with hollandaise; $10) and pecan or smoked bacon waffle ($7). See www.GlunzTavern.com .
—A new Pie Hole Pizza Joint is slated to serve its first slice in Uptown at 5001 N. Clark St. on April Fools' Day, according to DNAInfo.com . "We're shooting for April 1," owner Doug Brandt said in a text message. "If we miss, we can always claim 'April Fools'!'" Pie Hole is currently in Lakeview at 3477 N. Broadway.
—Tavern on Rush, 1031 N. Rush St., is hosting a "Tavern's Tour Through Italy" wine dinner Wed., Feb. 27. The five-course dinner will include salmon capaccio, beet salad, open-faced osso bucco ravioli, carved New York strip and panna cotta. The cost is $75, excluding tax and gratuity; call 312-664-9600.
—Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., will celebrate two years in business on Thursday, Feb. 28. Guests will enjoy a live DJ and a spring cocktail menu preview featuring $6 cocktails as well as complimentary small bites specially prepared by Executive Chef Brian Jupiter 7-8 p.m. Festivities will also include a complimentary mixology sampling hosted by Nolet's, Kettle One and Bulleit 7-9 p.m.
—Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse and Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House will feature an exclusive wine dinner Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 1028 N. Rush St. at 6:30 p.m. hosted by WXRT's Lin Brehmer along with Kendall-Jackson Winemaker Matt Smith, Master Sommelier Larry O'Brien and Gibsons Restaurant Group Corporate Chef Randy Waidner. The cost is $145 each; visit www.gibsonssteakhouse.com .
—Acknowledging that February is Heart Disease Awareness Month, ZED451, 739 N. Clark St., is partnering with GO RED for Women. Proceeds from the sales of the dark chocolate truffle duo ($4) and the red wine/chocolate pairing ($12) will benefit the organization.
—A new Red Mango frozen-yogurt/smoothie location will soon open in Frankfort, Ill., at 1139 W. Lincoln Hwy. Red Mango has 35 stores open and in development across the Chicago area and more than 220 locations throughout North America alone.
—Municipal Bar + Dining Company, 216 W. Ohio St., is now open for lunch starting at 11 a.m. on weekdays. Lunch appetizers include steak tartar ($12) and lobster avocado salad ($15), while lobster roll ($15) and chorizo gourmet burger ($14) are among the sandwiches offered. Call 312-951-2125 or visit www.municipalbar.com .
—Lillie's Q chef/owner Charlie McKenna will host chef Cleetus Friedman's latest brewery collaboration debut at the Lillie's Q Bucktown location, 1856 W. North Ave., 6-8 p.m., on Wed., Feb. 20. Friedman, formerly the chef/owner at City Provisions, teamed with Dark Horse Brewing Company (Marshall, Mich.) to create "I'll Have More"—a chocolate, caramel and toasted rice stout whose flavor profile is based on Nestle's 100 Grand candy bar.
—The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 N. Cannon Dr., explores the role food plays in our lives with the premiere of its newest self-developed exhibit, "Food: The Nature of Eating." The exhibit runs March 23-Sept. 8. See www.naturemuseum.org .
—Through March 31, LM Restaurant Group will feature "Passport to LM," a winter rewards program. Guests will receive a passport to travel to the restaurant group's four locations: Brasserie 54 by LM in Andersonville, Brasserie by LM in the South Loop, LM Bistro in River North and Troquet in Ravenswood. With the purchase of an entree, guests will receive a stamp; when guests receive stamps from all four restaurants, they will receive a $35 gift card.
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