—The 4th Annual Taste of the Gold Coast, benefiting The Israel Sports Center for the Disabled, took place Aug. 16 at the Sofitel, 20 E. Chestnut St. More than 15 restaurants participated, including Saloon Steakhouse, Gaylord, Hendrickx Belgian Bread and Bar Toma, among others. Photos by Steve Starr
—Sandra Bernhard has been added to City Winery Chicago's line-up of entertainers. She will appear Jan. 4-5, 2013, joining such luminaries as singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega (Sept. 8-9), Matthew Sweet (Sept. 20-21), Bettye Lavette (Nov. 9-10), Rosanne Cash (Nov. 18) and Los Lobos (Dec. 31), among many others. City Winery Chicago is a winery, restaurant with outdoor patio, concert hall and private-event space at 1200 W. Randolph St.; see www.CityWinery.com .
—Zealous, 419 W. Superior St., is celebrating its 19th anniversary during August and September with a showcase of its most popular and acclaimed dishes. A special five-course dinner for $85 will be the main attraction, while other greatest-hits items will be available on the a la carte menu. The celebration runs through Saturday, Sept. 29. Contact the restaurant at 312-475-9112 or visit www.zealousrestaurant.com .
—The upscale BBQ eatery Chicago q, 1160 N. Dearborn St., is marking its second anniversary Tuesday, Sept. 4, with a celebration in which 10 percent of the proceeds will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Chicago q will be open for lunch, dinner and catering that day with unique food specials such as bison ribs and Pig Powder pork wings. Call 312-642-1160 or visit www.ChicagoQRestaurant.com .
—Urban Union, 1421 W. Taylor St., has updated its contemporary American menu. The menu is 90-percent seafood-focused and split into four sections: starters, mids, entrees and sides. Among the many items are grilled baby octopus, Lake Erie perch filet and wood oven-roasted Bar Harbor mussels. See www.UrbanUnionchicago.com .
—LM Bistro, formerly located in Lincoln Square, has officially reopened in the space previously occupied by Elate at 111 W. Huron St. Executive Chef Brad Phillips will offer menu items which were available at the former space, along with new unique options. The new location will continue to represent a classic French bistro experience with a menu-driven concept. See www.lmrestaurant.com .
—Meatheads, a fast-casual spot that first opened in 2007 in Bloomington, Ill., will open four more eateries in this area—including the first one in Chicago (in Roscoe Village), according to Eater Chicago. The Chicago location will open in Riverview Plaza, 3322 N. Western Ave., mid-September and will have 90 seats as it features made-to-order burgers and sandwiches. See www.meatheadsburgers.com .
—Guests at the chef's table at the Evanston restaurant Koi, 624 Davis St., will get to see Chef Kenny Tan's sushi preparation as they're treated to eight courses. September's chef's table event will feature items such as crispy rice with spicy tuna and miso scallops, among other things. See www.KoiEvanston.com .
—Local chef Rick Bayless dropped by Jimmy Kimmel Live Aug. 15 to promote his upcoming book, Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles and Snacks, Eater Chicago noted. Along with Kimmel and actor Thomas Haden Church, Bayless prepared grilled tuna marinated in an heirloom tomato salsa made with a fresh roasted garlic and serrano chile marinade.
—LUXBAR, 18 E. Bellevue Pl., has announced the start of its new farm-to-table menu. It sources from places such as Bourbon Barrel Foods (Louisville, Ky.), Miller's Farm (Orland, Ind.) and Nichols Farm (Merengo, Ill.), among others. Highlights of the new menu include Skuna Bay salmon and Lake Superior whitefish. See www.luxbar.com .
—Stout Barrel House & Galley, 642 N. Clark St., is hosting Lobster Week Monday-Sunday, Aug. 20-26. Dishes include Maine lobster rolls (Aug. 20); Maine lobster bake with mussels, chorizo, marble potatoes and corn (Aug. 21); and seafood-stuffed Maine lobster (Aug. 25).
—Pastry Chicago is hosting its Fifth Annual Amateur Cookie Competition Saturday, Aug. 25, at Whole Foods, 1101 S. Canal St., 2-4 p.m. The theme for this year's cookies is "Almond and California Raisin." All contestants have a chance to win equipment from KitchenAid, with the grand prize of the company's stand mixer. See www.PastryChicago.org .
—Hamburger Mary's, 5400 N. Clark St., is making its voice heard in the Chick-fil-A controversy by offering a Southern-style chicken sandwich while advocating diversity. Twin brothers Ashley and Brandon Wright—the owners of the Chicago and Milwaukee Hamburger Mary's franchises—had enjoyed Chick-fil-A's sandwiches in the past, but the situation prompted them to seek alternatives. A portion of the sales will benefit Equality Illinois; see www.HamburgerMarys.com .
—Through Sept. 3, Shaw's Crab House in Chicago is featuring (in addition to the regular menu) a special clam-themed menu with hard- and soft-shell varieties. Just some of the dishes are fried Ipswich clams, Shaw's clam chowder and slow-braised pork belly with Manila clams. See www.ShawsCrabHouse.com .
—Square One is now open at 1400 S. Michigan Ave. The neighborhood-driven bar has 30-foot high ceilings, chalkboard walls and reclaimed wine barrel chandeliers. There are also extensive lists of beers (including Hitachino White Ale and Arcadia Whitsun) and cocktails (such as the MayDay and the Sheriff Pepper). Light bites are also available. See www.SquareOneChicago.com .
—Michael Jordan's Steak House, 505 N. Michigan Ave., will mark its one-year anniversary Aug. 23 with a variety of highlights. Among those will be surprising 23 tables by covering the check of the group assigned with the 23rd ticket. There will also be a $10 special for the six-ounce Italian beef-style hanger steak with fries, onion jus and spicy giardiniera. For reservations, call 312-321-8823 or visit www.mjshchicago.com .
Email Andrew@WindyCityMediaGroup.com with news.
