—On Friday, Oct. 28, Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House, 1024 N. Rush St., will offer free slices of chocolate cake to commemorate National Chocolate Day. Slices will be given out starting at 11 a.m. Hugo's longtime server of 10 years, Adam Wagner will officially cut of the mountainous chocolate cake. The event is free and open to the public.
—Jake Melnick's Corner Tap, 41 E. Superior St., will celebrate Halloween with specials. Included are the Halloween Horror Burger (nine-ounce habanero-and-cheddar beef patty topped with pepper jack cheese, guacamole, fried poblano and candied jalapenos); smoked apple bourbon BBQ wings; and meatloaf mac. See JakeMelnicks.com .
—RPM Steak, 66 W. Kinzie St., launched a new menu available at the bar only that will give guests an opportunity to have the signature Black Truffle Burger ($17). (The bar menu is active from 3 p.m. until closing.) Other bar-menu items include the bar steak ($28) and Sir Kensington's lobster roll ($18). See rpmrestaurants.com/rpmsteak/chicago/ .
—Roti Modern Mediterranean has opened a new location at 80 E. Lake St. This new location in Chicago's Loop features of variety of Roti's menu items, including the lamb meatballs and the cauliflower tabbouleh. See Roti.com .
—The Andersonville Dessert Crawl will take place Sunday, Oct. 30, 2-5 p.m. Ticket pick-up is at Great Lakes Clinical Trials, 5149 N. Ashland Ave., with a walk to host restaurants and shops located throughout the neighborhood. Tickets are $25 in advance, and $30 on the weekend of the event. Space is limited. Tickets and more information can be found at Andersonville.org .
—This Election Day (Nov. 8), pizza lovers can show their voting receipts or "I voted" wristbands, and be rewarded with 20-percent off all pizzas at Robert's Pizza Company, 355 E. Ohio St. See RobertsPizzaCompany.com .
—On Thursday, Nov. 3, Chicago is invited to celebrate twists on classic Greek dishes at the National Hellenic Museum's annual Kouzina food festival. For $125 per person, guests explore the legacy and tradition of Greek food and wine through tastings provided by some of Chicago's top local chefs, including Chef/Partner Devon Quinn of the forthcoming Mediterranean restaurant Eden. See www.nationalhellenicmuseum.org/calendar/kouzina/ .
—The inaugural Strange Foods Chicago Festival will take place Sunday, Nov. 6, 1-4 p.m., at Moonlight Studios, 1446 W. Kinzie St. More than 15 local restaurants will offer tastes of their authentically made cuisines; among the places slated to take part are HoneyDoe (Syria), Tropicuba (Cuba), Aha Crepes (China), Serai (Malaysia) and El Carrito Mexican Street Food. Early bird tickets are $40 per person through Oct. 12 and $45 through Oct.16; thereafter, tickets are $55. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1st-annual-strange-foods-chicago-festival-tickets-26454628506.
—Doc B's Fresh Kitchen, 55 E. Grand Ave., has introduced its first brunch menu on Sundays 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dish highlights include "The Classics," such as Tennessee hot chicken & waffles, and "The Basics," like avocado toast. An assortment of egg sandwiches will also be available, like The Red White and Blue, with Danish blue cheese, bacon and roasted red pepper; and Mom's Kitchen, made with Swiss cheese, spicy sausage and Doc B's secret sauce. See DocBsFreshKitchen.com .
—Lawry's The Prime Rib, 100 E. Ontario St., has launched a prime rib and lobster special, offering diners the chance to try a variety of the restaurant's dishes. The prix fixe menu includes The Original Spinning Bowl Salad, a six-ounce California-cut prime rib and four-ounce lobster tail entree, sides of mashed potatoes and gravy and Yorkshire pudding, choice of creamed corn or creamed spinach, and warm apple cobbler served with vanilla ice cream for dessert. Customers also gain complimentary access to the Lawry's VIP Rewards Program (a $25 value). The promotional package is offered through Monday, Oct. 31, for $49.95 per person.
—Trenchermen, 2039 W. North Ave., offers a $10 burger-and-beer special in the bar area. The burger changes weekly (with a recent one being the Octoberfest burger), and a different craft brewery is featured each month. See Trenchermen.com or @TrenchermenChicago.
—Gene & Georgetti (500 N. Franklin St., downtown; and 9241 W. Higgins Rd., in Rosemont) supports National Adoption Month in November by donating a portion of proceeds from dessert sales to Oak Park-based Hephzibah Children's Association. Guests to both Chicago and Rosemont locations can enjoy signature favorites like Tiramisu, Spumoni, Chocolate Tuxedo Mousse Cake and Gene & Georgetti's famous Italian Lemon Creme Layer Cake.
—French bistro Bistronomic, 840 N. Wabash Ave., will offer a Thanksgiving prix fixe menu. This year, Executive Chef/Owner Martial Noguier will offer a three-course Thanksgiving prix fixe menu on Thursday, Nov. 24, 11 a.m.-9 p.m., for $57 per adult and $20 for children 12 and younger (excluding tax and gratuity). Some of the planned menu items include house-cured duck confit, Belgium endive salad, roasted farm turkey breast and stuffed leg, jumbo walleye pike and chocolate "Kit Kat" bars.
—A Church 4 Me MCC, 7366 N. Clark St., will hold its second annual Thanksgiving Community Meal on Thursday, Nov. 24, at noon. To reserve a place at the meal, contact Mike Schuppe at 847-529-8440 or mike123ptr@gmail.com .
—Hard Rock Cafe Chicago, 63 W. Ontario St., is kicking off the holiday season with a traditional Thanksgiving Day prix fixe menu available at 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 24. The menu costs $27 (plus tax and gratuity) and features roasted farm-raised turkey, garlic smashed potatoes, harvest stuffing, assorted fall vegetables and New England cranberry jam and your choice of coffee, tea or soft drink along with cinnamon pumpkin pie topped with a root beer caramel sugar crisp. Also, children of all ages are invited to pose for photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the free Meet n' Greet at 1-3 p.m. (Attendees should bring their own cameras.) Reservations are recommended; visit HardRock.com/Chicago.
—Thanksgiving pies will return to the French-inspired patisserie Vanille. This is the only time of the year pies come out of the Vanille kitchen and, this year, three seasonal favorites will be offered: Pumpkin with Cinnamon Whipped Cream, Apple Streusel and Traditional Pecan. Along with the pies, Vanille will be hosting its first-ever Cereal Drive. Throughout November, Vanille will collect cereal at all three of its Chicago locations to be donated to Lakeview Pantry. Guests who bring a box in will enjoy 10 percent off an order (up to $100), including pie orders. See VanillePatisserie.com .
—Devon Seafood Gril, 39 E. Chicago Ave., is offering a traditional Thanksgiving prix fixe menu at 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Some of the culinary items include Maine lobster bisque, butternut squash soup, roasted turkey, cranberry orange relish, pumpkin pie and mixed berries. The menu is $40 for adults and $20 for children 4-12, excluding tax and gratuity. (Children under 4 eat free.) Reservations are recommended; call Tim Sherlock at 312-440-8660 or visit DevonSeafood.com/chicago.
—Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Dr., is bringing back its Thanksgiving at Home Dinner, which provides people with a Thanksgiving feast to take home to their own tables. The gourmet dinner, featuring a roast turkey with brioche stuffing, feeds eight to 10 people and can be ordered any time before 12 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21, for $260. Dinners can be picked up on Thanksgiving Day between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Fairmont. Call 312-565-7973 to order between 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or email kristina.kline@fairmont.com .
—Also, Fairmont Chicago, 200 N. Columbus Dr., is kicking off the 2016 holiday season with its third annual Cookies and Cheer Luxury Cookie Exchange on Thursday, Dec. 1, 5:30-7:30 p.m. During the event, guests will have the opportunity to sample unlimited cookies from the wide variety of unique seasonal offerings including chai snickerdoodles, double-fudge oatmeal stout cookies and orange walnut spice logs. Tickets for the Cookies and Cheer event are $60 per person and on sale now; space is limited and reservations are required by visiting Eventbrite.com, event name "Cookies & Cheer."
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