—Jake Melnick's Corner Tap, 41 E. Superior St., is offering free delivery through Jan. 31. ( Jake Melnick's will deliver orders with a $25 minimum for free when diners use code "CHEERS." ) It's also offering limited-menu items such as its take on The Cubano ( burger patty topped with Swiss cheese, crispy pork, ham, pickles and Creole mustard ); honey garlic jumbo wings; and the Southwestern Mac. See JakeMelnicks.com .
—Fat Rice and The Bakery at Fat Rice ( at 2957 and 2951 W. Diversey Pkwy., respectively ) are now offering ube milk bars, miso brownies, snickerdoodles with salted egg yolk filling and more. Also, the Fat Rice dining room has dessert additions such as gluten- and dairy-free coconut pudding with mango, jackfruit, longan, figs, lime and mint sugar; and plantain sponge cake with dark coffee ganache, crisp plantain chips, salted caramel and peanut butter powder.
—Chicago-based independent film production house Zaxie announced the release of Jack C. Newell's 42 Grams, the new documentary chronicling chef Jake Bickelhaupt's evolution from running an illegal restaurant out of his home to becoming a culinary celebrity in less than a year, and the toll it takes on his personal life. Following a successful festival run across the United States, the film arrives in the Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St., on Jan. 27-Feb. 1.
—Holiday Jones, 1659 W. Division St., is offering 5411 empanadas, among other items. Also, guests can enjoy $4 craft beers and $6 cocktails Mondays through Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. as well as $4 glasses of wine on Wednesdays, and $2 Fernet shots and $4 Fernet and Cokes on Thursdays. See HolidayJones.com .
—A suburban Chicago restaurant filed a trademark-infringement lawsuit against DoorDash, alleging the California-based online delivery service used its logo and sold its food without permission, according to The Chicago Tribune. Burger Antics—a Brookfield restaurant featuring locally sourced meat and dishes such as the "Hotter Than Hell" burger—said it never authorized DoorDash to post its menu or deliver its food, according to the lawsuit that was filed in federal court in Chicago.
—Gay-owned Council Bluffs, Iowa, restaurant Dixie Quicks is closing Jan. 21 after being in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area for 22 years, Omaha.com noted. Rob Gilmer—who ran it with husband Rene Orduna until Orduna died in November 2016—said, "I want people to remember Rene's creation with wonderment, and warmth and longing. We made a really good team." Oatmeal and ice cream, a dish Orduna created, has always been a crowd favorite.
—Chinese restaurant Imperial Lamian, 6 W. Hubbard St., is offering a line of winter cocktails. Selections include Winter Club ( Sipsmith Gin, Aperol, Elderflower, cranberry, egg white, rhubarb bitters ), White Tiger ( Jack Daniels Rye, housemade cashew syrup ) and Smoked Rose on the Water ( Hana Ho Shu, Lillet Rose, Dill Aquavit, Egg white, smoked sea salt, rose water ). Visit Imperial-Lamian.com .
—Dusek's, 1227 W. 18th St., is encouraging people to try its beer program. Beer Director Jeff Van Der Tuuk regularly presents sought-after menu highlights and hands-on beer education, including rare finds and rotating sours. Also, on Saturday, Jan. 27, people can learn how to make beer cocktails with 16" on Center beverage director and certified cicerone Will Duncan at the Dusek's Beer Cocktail Class; visit www.facebook.com/events/541664232834740/ .
—River Roast, 315 N. LaSalle St., is offering $8 mocktails for "Dry January." Items include Get Smashed ( lemon, sage, ginger, hibiscus and local honey soda ), Cosmo Cobbler ( orange, lime, cranberry shrub, orgeat and charged water as well as almond ) and the Sasparilla Sling ( root beer essence, tonic syrup, molasses and maple local soda ), among others.
—On Sunday, Jan. 21, six of Chicago's most well-respected chefs and mixologists will come together at GreenRiver, 259 E. Erie St., to raise money and awareness for mental health. The benefit dinner, entitled "121 Plates," symbolizes the 121 Americans who complete suicide each day, and gives participating chefs a platform to break the silence about suicide prevention in the hospitality industry and beyond. The evening consists of a one-time-only, six-course dinner with optional beverage pairings prepared by Brian Ahern ( Boeufhaus ), Aaron Lirette ( GreenRiver ), Ryan McCaskey ( Acadia ), Ryan Pfeiffer ( Blackbird ), Andrew Zimmerman ( Sepia/Proxi ) and Laura Kelton ( Sportsman's Club ). Tickets are $121 each ( with an optional wine pairing for $48 ); visit 121plates.org .
—Morton's The Steakhouse, 65 E. Wacker Pl., is hosting a Baderbrau beer dinner on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. ( The reception is at 6:30 p.m. ) Items will include chef's gourmet pizza, cheddar beer soup, filet mignon and chocolate banana-cream pie. Tickets are $85/guest ( including tax and gratuity ); email Patrick_Torres@ldry.com or call 312-201-0464.
—Cupitol Coffee + Eatery, the all-day lounge located in Streeterville and Evanston, will offer a free mini-croissant with every coffee purchase on Tuesday, Jan. 30, in honor of National Croissant Day. Cupitol's coffee menu features European-inspired drinks made with TAF coffee including Greek favorites such as the Freddo Espresso and the Freddo Cappuccino. See cupitol.com .
—Avondale Tap, 3634 W. Belmont Ave., will be kicking off Super Bowl LII by selling 50-wing packages accompanied by blue cheese, ranch and celery for $70 to go. Orders must be placed before Tuesday, Jan. 30, and can be placed by calling Avondale Tap at 773-754-8341.
—Also, Lottie's Pub, 1925 W. Cortland St., is teaming with Jameson this Super Bowl on Feb. 4. Specials include $4 Jameson, $4 Jameson Black, $15 Miller/Coors Buckets and a $15 party platter ( 14" pizza, wings and tater tots ). Additionally, guests can "kick" a field goal for the chance to win $250 in prizes. For table reservations, large groups can email lotties@pioneertaverngroup.com .
—Operation Taste 2018 will take place Monday, Feb. 5, at 6:30 p.m. at Avalon Banquets, 1905 E. Higgins Rd., Elk Grove Village. A group of renowned Chicagoland chefs—including Chef Jimmy Bannos Jr. of The Purple Pig, Chef Fabio Viviani of Siena Tavern and Chef Martial Noguier of bistronomic—will come together for demonstrations and food tastings in support of Operation North Pole's mission to serve children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Visit www.operationtaste.com .
—The third annual Chicago Black Restaurant Week will take place Feb. 11-18. So far, approximately 20 business have registered to take part in the event. See " Chicago Black Restaurant Week" on Facebook.
—Hewn, 810 Dempster St., Evanston, has announced that its first cookbook, Hewn Heritage Baking, will be released through Chronicle Books in the fall of 2018. Created by Co'Owner Ellen King and her team at Hewn, and written in conjunction with food writer Amelia Levin, the book features recipes made with heritage wheat and stone-milled flour for the at-home cook to enjoy real bread and pastries. On a mission to revitalize the grain economy in the Midwest, King pays homage to the small, sustainable grain farmers and artisan millers her bakery works with on a daily basis.
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