Cochon555 Returns to Chicago to Celebrate 10 Years of Piggy Goodness

Photo courtesy of Grand Cochon

As summer ends, the onslaught of heavy hitting food festivals begins. This year, I am making room in my schedule and my stomach for the final stop of the Cochon555 2018 tour. On Sunday September 30th, 11 chefs from the all over the US and Canada will converge on City Winery with their best pork themed dishes in hopes of becoming the North American King or Queen of Pork.

Photo courtesy of Grand Cochon

The showdown, which was first held in Atlanta 10 years ago, brings together winners from every stop along the Cochon555 tour so far this year, including Chicago's own Chef Cory Morris (Boleo). A few years ago when I attended one of the semi-finals, Cory Morris presented one of the most spectacular sweet and savory bites I have ever had in the form of the Bacon Fat PB&J shaped like a little pig face. At first, I thought it was too cute to eat. Then I ate it. Then I tried to eat several more before being hustled along by the crowd. So needless to say, my money's on the home town boy.

The event highlights nose-to-tail cooking by giving every chef a whole heritage hog to do whatever they wish with. It also highlights just how special these heritage pig breeds are, and even helps to preserve them by raising funds for Piggy Bank, an organization that is dedicated to bringing several breeds back from the brink of extinction.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE. Hope to see you there for the biggest piggiest party of the year!

Food News: Meet Chef Josh Capon's at Macy's on 1/19!

Note: The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Agency for the information contained in this post, but any thoughts and opinions expressed are unbiased and uninfluenced.

Happy 2018 brunch fans! Brandy has decided to kick off another year of fantastic culinary adventures with a spectacular event at Macy's on State Street and she wanted to make sure all her followers got the details so that they could join her.

On Friday January 19th at 12pm, the Macy's Culinary Council will welcome Chef Josh Capon to the demo kitchen on the 7th floor for an afternoon of fun and food. Chef Capon is the genius behind several highly acclaimed New York and South Florida restaurants, as well as the host of Spike TV's Frankenfood (which filmed right here in Chicago) and a four time winner of Rachel Ray's Burger Bash.

Those who attend the event are promised an earful of Chef Capon's best kept culinary secrets as he walks everyone through some of his award winning recipes. The audience will also get to sample his food in real time and will be provided with recipes for all the dishes so that they can try their hands at cooking like a champ. After the demo, attendees will be invited to meet Chef Capon in person down in the Lower Level kitchenware department. Any purchase of $30 or more will enable guests to not only chat one on one with Chef Capon, but will also get them a $10 Macy's gift card and a special surprise gift!

The best part of all is that the demo (and the three course lunch served at the demo) is completely FREE and only requires an RSVP by calling 1-800-329-8667. Make sure to visit the official event website for more details.

Hope to see you brunch fans there!

Food News: Meet Chef Dana Herbert at Macy's on State Street!

Note: The writers of this blog have been compensated by Everywhere Agency for the information contained in this post, but the opinions stated were not influenced.

Bunny has once again returned to the surface for a breath of fresh air, and this time she is coming back into Chicago with a mission. "My sweet tooth is itching," she texted Brandy, "and that means something exciting must be about to take place. You know I don't usually just start craving sugar out of the blue."

In fact, Brandy didn't think this out of the ordinary at all. She was rather used to Bunny's near psychic ability in sensing when there is good food to be had. Knowing better than to take her friend's instincts lightly, Brandy began researching, and quickly realized that there was indeed something exciting on the horizon. "Your sweet tooth never fails," she text Bunny, "Seems Chef Dana Herbert is hosting a big-to-do at Macy's. Can you get to Chicago by next week?" "I'm already at the airport," was Bunny's quick reply.

Bunny had been a fan of Chef Herbert ever since his big win on Cake Boss: Next Great Baker, where he first demonstrated his knowledge, artistry, and passion for pastry to the public. But it's not just the sweets Chef Herbert is good at; he is also trained in culinary arts, meaning he can pretty much handle anything thrown in his direction. His cookbook, Sweet and Savory Union, therefore could not be a more perfect for Bunny and Brandy, who live their lives by the principles of finding the perfect balance between savory and sweet.

On July 28th at 12pm, Chef Herbert will host a free fun-filled event in the Culinary Council test kitchen on the 7th floor of Macy's on State, where he will demonstrate some of his favorite award winning dishes and serve them to the gathered crowd before heading down to the lower level to sign cookbooks and hobnob with foodie fans (you can even get one of Chef Herbert's cookbooks as a free gift by making a $35 purchase from the Macy's Home Department the day of). Anyone can attend the free demo by RSVPing in advance by calling 1-800-329-8667. For more information on the event, please visit http://bit.ly/Herbert17 and to learn more about the Macy's Culinary Council and all future events, please click here

Food News: Announcing the Brunch Bites Walking Tour and GIVEAWAY!

The two things Bunny and Brandy love most about Chicago are the abundance of brunch options and the amazing food events. Finally, someone has thought to combine those two things in an amazing way with the Brunch Bites walking festival!

On Saturday, April 22nd from 10am – 2pm, Brunch Bites will offer guests the opportunity to stroll from location to location and sample brunch food and drink items from top River North restaurants (which Bunny and Brandy know as one of the best neighborhoods in all of Chicago for brunch restaurants) Specialty cocktails such as Apricot Mimosas, Spicy Sunsets, and Salty Dogs (and many more) will be on offer while participants nosh such delicacies as on Nutella Poppers, Oyster Po’ Boy Sliders, and Avocado Toast.

Participating locations include some of Bunny and Brandy's favorite spots like GT Fish & Oyster, Hub 51, Hutch, and River Roast, plus many more new and exciting options. Guests will be able to check-in starting at 9:30am with a valid ID (check the website for the check-in location). Tickets are available online at http://www.brunchbitesevent.com/chicago, where a full list of what is being served can also be found.

Luckily, Bunny and Brandy have secured two pairs of tickets to give away to a couple of lucky brunch fans! This giveaway will end next Friday, April 7th, so get your entries in before then for a chance to attend this unique event and hob nob with brunch fans from all over Chicago!

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Food News: Avec 2017 Collaborative Brunch Series

After the whirlwind year that was 2016, Bunny and Brandy have decided that their theme for 2017 should be Togetherness. "Most people promise to eat healthy and that sort of thing for New Year's," said Brandy in their joint statement (made via satellite, of course), "But we think that in the current climate, there's simply more productive things we could be doing, and that starts with working together." "Yes indeed!" squeaked Bunny, "After all, shouldn't brunch be about togetherness? It's the only meal that successfully combines the opposing forces of sweet and savory. Come to think of it, brunch itself is a combination of two different meals, working together harmoniously to create the ultimate in gastronomic experiences!"

In the spirit of togetherness, avec has announced that they will be continuing their successful guest brunching series from last year, in which they bring in chefs from restaurants across the city to contribute signature dishes to avec's already existing brunch menu. The series kicks off this weekend with the wizards from Honey Butter Fried Chicken bringing dishes like:

• Biscuits & Gravy: Fried Chicken Strips, Buttermilk Biscuit, Fried Egg, Rosemary Gravy, Roasted Fennel, and Preserved Lemon
• Fried Chicken & French Toast: with Bourbon Maple Syrup, Honey Butter, Dried Mandarin Orange, Dates, and Almonds
• avec’d Up OG Sandwich: Fried Chicken Strips, Candied Jalapeño Mayo, Crunchy Slaw, and a Fried Egg on Avec Ciabatta
• “HBFC” Deluxe: Focaccia with Pimento Cheese, Honey Buffalo Drizzle, and Scallions
  
  The series then continues about once a month with a diverse array of cuisines and chefs:

"There is absolutely no better way to demonstrate our new found desire to promote Togetherness than by witnessing what avec is doing first hand," Brandy concluded. "We cannot wait to see what all these collaborations have in store!" Bunny added with a wink.

Stay tuned to see which of these fabulous brunches Bunny and Brandy plan to attend and let us know in the comments below which ones you are looking forward to!

Food News: Insatiable- The Homaro Cantu Story at Chicago International Film Festival

From the Insatiable Facebook page

As many of you may know, the late Homaro Cantu holds a special place in the heart of the writers of this blog.  Not only did he inspire the creation of this blog in the first place, he supported, promoted, and encouraged us as this little site was first getting on its feet.  It is for that reason we have always considered him to be the guardian angel of Bunny and Brandy's Brunchtime Blog, because we experienced first hand his generosity, passion, and never ending capacity for kindness.

Film maker Brett A. Schwartz began filming a documentary about Homaro Cantu at a time when the chef's life was filled with a dizzying array of new projects, which all came to a halt with his untimely death.  After many years of cutting together intimate footage of Homaro in his element and interviews with some of the people who knew him best, Schwartz is finally getting a chance to bring his project to the public.

Insatiable: The Homaro Cantu Story is set for its final showing as part of the Chicago International Film Festival this evening at the 6:15 @ AMC River East.  Tickets can be purchased here and include not only entrance to the screening, but access to a special reception at Chez that will include a menu of hors d’oeuvres by former Moto Executive Chef, Richie Farina along with Chef D’Andre Carter former Executive Sous Chef of Moto and now Executive Chef of Feast & Imbibe. For those unable to attend tonight's event, Brandy will be posting her full recap of the evening in Wednesday's post.  We do hope to see some of you there tonight to help us support not only an important film, but to join us in celebrating the life of a brilliant chef and a wonderful man.

Food News: Vegetarian Plus Brings World Flavors to Meatless Entrees

For more than a decade and a half, Vege USA’s popular Vegetarian Plus brand has been winning over vegans, vegetarians and even the most ardent carnivores ready to give up meat now and then by offering an enticing range of culinary dishes designed to elevate plant-based cuisine to an entirely new plateau.

Now widely considered one of the most forward-looking brands in the vegan and vegetarian food industry, Vegetarian Plus routinely sends its team of culinary experts to the far corners of the globe not only to source the very finest ingredients and secure the most authentic homemade recipes, but to consult with each region’s leading chefs as well. The company then matches these flavors – including classic sauces, glazes and marinades – to create artisanal frozen entrees that are boldly different from all other meatless alternatives available today.

Sold at health food stores and supermarkets in most states, all Vegetarian Plus products are vegan, made with non-GMO soy protein, and free of cholesterol and MSG.                                       

Newcomers to Vegetarian Plus may want to first check out these four popular soy-based dishes to discover just how the brand is helping re-define vegan and vegetarian cuisine in our time:

+ VEGAN KUNG PAO CHICKEN – A thoroughly unique and delicious vegan interpretation of a timeless Chinese classic, this surprisingly authentic dish is rich, spicy and zesty – so good, in fact, even non-vegetarians will savor every bite.


+ VEGAN CITRUS SPARERIB CUTLETS IN PLUM VINEGAR SAUCE – Need we say more? Vegetarian Plus’ best-selling dish, these irresistible cutlets featuring a mildly sweet and tangy citrus sauce are tender, delectable and ideal for everything from a family dinner to an intimate gathering to a large party.

+ VEGAN BLACK PEPPER STEAK IN BLACK PEPPER SAUCE – Moist and bursting with a rich spicy flavor, these remarkable meatless steaks are cut into perfect portions, making them ideal on their own or served with veggies, rice or pasta.

+ GINGER CHICKEN IN GINGER BASIL SAUCE – Sweetly peppered with basil and ginger, Ginger Chicken is another mouth-watering Vegetarian Plus alternative to a time-honored dish created for anyone following a meatless diet or just ready to eat healthier without sacrificing flavor. Enjoy it on its own, as part of a larger meal or over a salad.                          

In addition to these four favorites, the Vegetarian Plus line also includes such other irresistible offerings as Vegan Orange Chicken, Vegan Shrimp, Vegan Teriyaki Chicken, Vegan Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegan Lamb Vindaloo and Vegan Fish Fillets, among others (not available in all markets). For those looking for deliciously healthy vegan options during the holidays, Vegetarian Plus also serves up three popular seasonal items: Vegan Whole Turkey with a vegan gravy and stuffing side dish; Vegan Turkey Roll with vegan cinnaberry sauce; and Vegan Ham Roll with a spiced plum and apricot glaze.

Commenting on the Vegetarian Plus line of products, Tina Soong Lin, President of Vege USA, said, “Nothing pleases us more than having customers, home cooks and professional chefs around the world tell us we’ve replicated the flavors, ingredients and textures of their favorite dishes in vegan form as never before. We’re delighted by the support we’ve received from vegans, vegetarians and health-conscious shoppers thus far and look forward to introducing many new Vegetarian Plus products over the years ahead.”        

The writers of this blog have been compensated for the information contained within this post.

Food News: Innagural Culinary Fight Club Festival

Culinary Fight Club, the nationwide organization that throws extraordinary cooking competitions between some of the best chefs around, has announced its first ever Chicago food festival.  Being held on Sunday August 21st from 11:00am-3:00pm at Joe's on Weed, the festival will bring together chefs from across Chicago, asking them to prepare the best bite they can muster for the attending crowd.  Attendees will have the chance to vote for their favorite dishes, and at the end of the afternoon, four chefs will rise to the top.  Those four chefs will then be challenged to prepare a dish in just 30 minutes, and the winner of this head to head competition will be handed a $1000 prize, bragging rights for the next 12 months, and a free pass to the World Food Championships in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Brandy is all for a little healthy competition, so she was naturally very interested to hear about this particular festival.  "I do so love tasting festivals, but I also like the idea of chefs competing for my favor," she commented, slyly, "And it certainly doesn't hurt that this particular festival is happening during my normal brunching hours.  I certainly know what I will be doing on the 21st!"

More info and tickets can be found HERE.  Hope to see all you brunch fans there!

Food News: Hard Rock Cafe Announces World Burger Tour Menu

"You know how you say that there is no exotic or international food you can't find in Chicago?" Brandy said to Bunny over the phone as Bunny sat in a terminal at O'Hare.  "Yes?" Bunny responded.  "What if I told you that you not only didn't have to leave Chicago, you would only have to go to a single restaurant to travel around the world?"  "I'm listening."  "Good.  Then I have three words for you.  Hard.  Rock.  Cafe."

What Brandy was talking about was that Hard Rock Cafes across the nation are currently hosting an event called the World Burger Tour from May 1st through June 30th.  Chefs from 160 locations all across the world competed to represent their cities on the featured menu, and the winners show a diverse and exciting variety of options:

· English Breakfast Burger (London, England) – a Certified Angus Beef® patty topped with sliced ham, a sausage patty, a fried egg, a portobello mushroom, arugula and garlic aioli and served with a side of baked beans

· Java Lava Burger (Seattle, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty grilled and dressed in a house-made espresso rub and topped with lava sauce, crunchy java onions, bacon, melted Cheddar cheese and garnished with a fried jalapeño

· Tandoori Chicken Burger (Mumbai, India) – a dark meat chicken patty seasoned with aromatic spices and fresh herbs, topped with mint mayonnaise and served with a side of cucumber

· Jamaican Jerk Burger (Montego Bay, Jamaica) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with banana pepper rings, mango jalapeño cream cheese and jerk mayonnaise

· ATOMIC! Burger (Las Vegas, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with Atomic beer-battered peppers, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, garlic chipotle ketchup and chipotle mayonnaise

· Tango Salsa Burger (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with andouille sausage, Monterey Jack cheese, chips de batata, a fried egg, salsa criolla and garlic aioli

· Greek Burger (Athens, Greece) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with arugula, feta cheese and a tomato slice

·Aloha Burger (Honolulu, United States) – a Certified Angus Beef patty topped with SPAM, Monterey Jack cheese, a grilled pineapple ring with sweet soy glaze, guacamole and pico de gallo

Along with the burgers, Hard Rock Cafe is featuring a host of accompanying cocktails to take along on the tour.  Served in Hard Rock’s iconic mason jars, adult guests can order with the suggested pairing or mix it up with any other burger from the limited-time menu. New cocktails include:

All Jacked Up – created to balance the Jamaican Jerk Burger’s spicy flair, this cocktail features a mix of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, PJ, Orgeat and lime juice, garnished with orange and pineapple wedges and a cherry

· Crisp Sipper – inspired by the Aloha Burger’s sweet and savory taste, this cocktail features a mix of Hendrick’s gin, Monin Cucumber, lemon, orange and raspberry, topped with tonic and garnished with rosemary and thyme

· MelonPalooza – designed to complement the fresh flavors of the Greek Burger, this cocktail features a mix of Midori Melon Liqueur, Malibu Rum, Hard Rock’s house-made sour mix and PJ, garnished with slices of pineapple and strawberry

· Sweet & Fiery – inspired by the ATOMIC! Burger’s spicy flavor, this cocktail features a mix of Absolut Peppar Vodka, Canton Ginger Liquor, Blue Curacao, lemonade and ginger beer, garnished with a red pepper

· Black Cherry Melonade (non-alcoholic) – created to complement the rich espresso of the Java Lava Burger, this mocktail features a mix of Black Cherry Real and Monin Cucumber, topped with ginger beer, garnished with a cucumber slice and a cherry

"Alright, alright!" Bunny interrupted Brandy, "You had me at English Breakfast Burger!"  And with that, she picked up her bags and left the airport for an extended stay in Chicago.  Stay turned to find out which burger Bunny and Brandy determine to be the best in the world!

To Be Continued...

The writers of this blog have been provided by Hard Rock International with information as well as any meals featured in order to facilitate the writing of this post.

Food News: Cochon555 and Pastoral Artisan Producer Festival

As the weather slowly creeps towards warmer temperatures, Brandy has just one thing on her mind: food festivals.  "I love nothing better than getting out to some exciting locale and stuffing my face with all sorts of bite sized delights!" as she had been saying to anyone who will listen.  Luckily, the first crop of festivals are beginning to poke their heads out of the defrosted ground with announcements of dates, chef line ups, and cooking demos galore.

On Sunday April 24th, the 8th iteration of the Cochon555 tour will make a stop in Chicago at the Loews Hotel, bringing with it a plethora of porky goodness. The return of the one-of-a-kind stand-up tasting reception will feature five chefs cooking five heritage breed pigs in a friendly competition for a cause. This year's chef line up will include such Chicago favorites as Alfredo Nogueira, Sarah Grueneberg, Sarah Rinkavage, Cory Morris, and Phillip Foss.

Upping its commitment to the good food movement and charitable cause, this year’s tour includes two guest chef dinners that will benefit Piggy Bank, a genetic sanctuary that will provide free heritage breed pigs and business plans to emerging family farms.   Friday kicks off with a Late Night Asian Speakeasy, an all-inclusive guest chef’s dinner party paying homage to Chinese, Sichuan, Korean, Thai and Japanese restaurants. On Saturday, the Chef's Course Dinner Series is a multi-course feast featuring courses paired with premium wines and spirits. Tickets to the dinners are available online at $125 per person and 100% of the proceeds will benefit Piggy Bank. On Sunday, the epic feast features celebrity chefs cooking whole hogs in a stand-up reception of epic proportions. Guests are encouraged to buy tickets as the event is expected to sell out earlier this year. Cochon555 is also running a 21-day contest, “Can’t We Just Be Friends”, giving away two VIP Tickets worth $400. Friends of the good food movement can sign up for the latest news on the weekend and enter the contest here: http://woobox.com/jnesum. Tickets for the weekend are already on sale at www.cochon555.com and for a behind the scenes look at the culinary competition, watch Cochon555’s video here http://j.mp/555_Trailer.

Photo courtesy of Pastoral 

Photo courtesy of Pastoral 

Following this epic weekend of pig will be the 6th Annual Pastoral Artisan Producer Festival.  This free event, created by Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, showcases the talents of local, national and international producers of high quality artisan foods and beverages. APF attendees can sample small-batch food, beer, wine and spirits from nearly 100 culinary artisans.

As a special addition to this year’s event, the APF will feature a James Beard Nominated Chef stage program with culinary thought leaders who will be in town for the James Beard Awards Ceremony that weekend. Guests will hear notable chefs speak about their approach to sourcing product and their appreciation of artisan producers, including, Tory Miller (James Beard Best Chef Midwest), Paul Fehribach (Three-time James Beard Award Semifinalist), Erling Wu-Bower (2015 finalist for James Beard Best Chef, Great Lakes), and Dan Fox (2016 nominee for James Beard Best Chef Midwest).

Proceeds from this event will benefit Purple Asparagus and the Daphne Zepos Teaching Award, a scholarship fund for aspiring cheese professionals.

Food News: Tickets go on sale for Oyster Fest and Taste of the Nation!

Summers in Chicago are so full of festivals and foodie events that one could almost literally attend a different one every day.  Recently, Brandy caught wind of two very special events that she felt she simply must bring to her readers' attention.

Taste of the Nation

Photo Credit: Share Our Strength

Tickets are now on sale for Taste of the Nation Chicago, taking place at the Navy Pier ballroom on Sunday, October 11, and can be purchased online at www.tasteofthenation.org/chicago. The annual tasting event will feature the city’s top chefs, sommeliers and mixologists united for a cause: to ensure all children in this country get the healthy food they need, every day. Proceeds from the event benefit No Kid Hungry’s work to end childhood hunger in America.

Photo Credit: Share Our Strength

Culinary tastemakers leading the 2015 event include chairs Elissa Narow (Vie and Perennial Virant Restaurants), Debbi Peek (Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois), Jennifer Paulson (US Foods) and Jared Van Camp (Element Collective) while award-winning mixologists Lynn House and Natalia Cardenas lead the event’s beverage and mixology program. In addition to showcasing the city’s best and brightest culinary stars, this year’s event will also cater to Chicago’s youngest foodies, with family-friendly activities ranging from an on-site bake sale to an interactive celebrity chef demo, available to families who purchase VIP packages.

Tickets start at $125 for adults 18 and over, and $35 for children ages five to 17. For additional information, please visit: NoKidHungry.org/Chicago

Photo Credit: LEYE

Oyster Fest

Photo Credit: LEYE

This year’s 27th Annual Oyster Fest will take place on Friday, September 11th. Located at 435 N. Wabash at Hubbard and Rush, the festival will take place from 3-10pm.

The festival will bring live music from synth-pop act band, St. Lucia, fresh seafood, a variety of East, West and Gulf Coast Oysters, craft beer, and cocktails to more than 6,000 guests in downtown Chicago. This year’s Oyster Fest menu will be curated by Shaw’s Crab House and Chef/Partner Doug Psaltis.  New to this year will be a special crab dinner for $75/person with two seatings at 6pm or 8pm, Dishes may include Shaw’s signatures items like King Crab Bites and other regional favorites like New England Chowda, Steamers with drawn butter, Oyster Po’ Boy’s and Seafood Gumbo.

Tickets for Oyster Fest will go on sale at 10am on Thursday, July 30th and are available for $30/person at www.oysterfestchicago.com.

Food News: Subscrybe App Premires in Logan Square

One of the things Brandy loves best about her brunch adventures across Chicago is being able to discover new neighborhoods and all of their hidden gems.  "I just adore the personalities of each section of this city, from refined Old Town to vibrant Lake View to chic River North and friendly Albany Park.  It seems every few blocks is it's own delightful little ecosystem!"

One neighborhood Brandy is particularly fond of, but doesn't get the chance to visit often is Logan Square, home to some of her favorite brunch spots like Bang Bang Pie Shop, Longman and Eagle, Boiler Room, and Township to name a few.  But recently, Brandy came upon an app called Subscrybe, a weekly or monthly "neighborhood pass" that brings users a slue of offers in their chosen neighborhood, helping them to discover new favorites while driving traffic to deserving local businesses.  Just recently launched in late June in the Apple App Store, Subscrybe currently offers a weekly pass for Logan Square for $19.95 or a monthly pass for $59.95.  Included with these passes is redeemable items around the neighborhood such as gourmet coffee drinks, glasses of wine, full sized dinner entrees, and of course, delectable brunch dishes.

Deciding to give the Subscrybe a go, Brandy headed down to Logan Square during this past holiday weekend to see where a day of culinary adventures would take her.  She started off at one of her all time favorite brunch spots, Jam, where of the five options available to her through Subscrybe, she went with the Pork Belly Eggs Benedict.  As per usual, Jam's presentation was flawless, and the rich meaty hunks of pork belly mixed with delicate poached eggs and the tender house made biscuits was simply perfect.  After finishing her meal, it was as easy as handing her phone to the waitress, who plugged a code into the Subscrybe App, which took the dish off her bill.  "Remarkable!" Brandy exclaimed, "Let's see what else this do-hicky can do!"

Taking a little walk in the sunshine, Brandy headed down to Brew Brew Coffee Lounge, where a whole host of delicious drinks were available to be redeemed through Subscrybe once per day (most of the other deals were redeemable once per week).  There she picked out a refreshing Berry Frappe, which was at once both decadent and fresh tasting.  Enjoying the mellow atmosphere of the independent coffee house, Brandy happily nursed her cool beverage for a little while, and headed out once more.

Her last stop of the day was to Yusho, a Japanese fusion restaurant with some pretty interesting sounding options.  The one that caught Brandy's eye was the Chicken and Beer Ramen, which centered around an impressive Chicken Scotch Egg and a broth made from the aforementioned fermented beverage.  Brandy was simply head over heals in love with this bowl of ramen, which she happily slurped up until she simply could not slurp any more.  Luckily, all she had to do to have another bowl of this ambrosia was come back the following week and redeem another offer from the Subscrybe App.

Brandy was quite delighted with her new little toy.  "I think I shall have to some more exploring with this Subscrybe-whatchama-callit.  One day of basking in the delights Logan Square has to offer is simply not enough.  Good job this figurative Key to the Neighborhood is good for the rest of the month!"  To be continued...

Has Brandy peeked your interest in the Subscrybe App?  Use the code BUNNYBRANDY to get $15 off your first pass (which brings the monthly pass down to $45 and the weekly pass down to just $5!)

The writers of this blog were granted access to this app at a discounted rate to facilitate the writing of this post.

Food News: J. Parker at Hotel Lincoln Debutes New Rooftop

Photo courtesy of The Door

Earlier this week, The J. Parker, a slick cocktail bar that sits atop the Hotel Lincoln in Old Town, opened up their brand new rooftop to the public.  "How can one even think about rooftops at this time of year?" Brandy wondered when she heard this, "I hope they're handing out blankets and ear muffs with the cocktails!" Fortunately for Brandy, this rooftop has a few tricks up it's sleeve, namely that the space is newly enclosed by a retractable roof that keeps revelers warm and comfy while still being about the enjoy the gorgeous lakefront view.

Photo courtesy of The Door

The glass enclosed section of the bar gives guests the feeling of being inside a living snow globe during the winter, but on warm summer nights, it can be pulled back so that guests can fully enjoy the city-scape below.  "It's quite a brilliant set up, I must say," Brandy said when she attended a preview of the space last week, "I'm not sure I feel like being inside a snow globe, but with the panels the way they are, I do feel like I am inside a giant diamond, which definitely does feel luxurious."

Along with the rooftop, the J. Parker is also premiering a new winter menu of small plates and bites by Chef Paul Virant (whose name sake restaurant, Perennial Virant, rests on the ground floor of the hotel) that includes things like hand cut fries, beef shank chili, and shrimp sliders.  Though the food is tempting, Brandy was truly smitten by the cocktails, created by seasoned bar vet Allie Kim.  The craft concoctions include a few warm unique cocktails, like the Rockin' Chair, a sort of spiced apple cider with rum and topped by a pad of melting butter, but Brandy's favorite was the Smoke Rings, a combination of boubon, white chocolate, root beer, and a whole egg that sounds like a sweet mess, but actually tastes sophisticated and surprisingly, well, smokey.

The rooftop at the J. Parker is now open to the public 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

Food News: A Taste of Taiwan at Park Grill

Last week, Brandy had the privilege of attending a very special dinner at Park Gill in Millennium Park, hosted by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, because, as we all know, she is quite the bon vivant.  "Sadly, I've not had the chance to explore Taiwan, one of the few countries in this world that I've not been to," Brandy said about the experience, "So I will be quite interested to learn more about what I assume is a beautiful place.  After all, they do call it the heart of Asia!"




The goal of the Taste Taiwan campaign is to educate chefs, food industry professionals and travelers on the differences between Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine and to show that Taiwan has rich culinary traditions all its own.  To do this, hundreds of chefs nationwide applied to go on an epic culinary tour of Taiwan in order to help them design a dish that they could take back to their restaurants and give all of their diners a taste of Taiwan as well.  Only three chefs were chosen, one of which was Jared Case of Park Gill, and his adventures (along with Stuart Cameron from NAO Steakhouse in Toronto and Anthony Jacquet of Whisper Restaurant in Los Angeles) were captured in a vibrant documentary, for which a trailer can be watched via the campaign's YouTube channel and will air on CNBC on December 28th.  For eight days, the chefs were exposed to everything from fine dining to street food to rustic home cooking, all with the goal of showing the sort of techniques and unique ingredients Taiwan has to offer.

Returning to Chicago, Chef Jared prepared several Taiwanese inspired dishes for the crowd, like Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Relish, Tuna Tartar Wontons with Black Sesame, and Peanut Satay Noodles.  His crowning glory was a dish he called Drunken Oysters, inspired by a journey the chefs took by boat down a river, where they harvested fresh oysters and ate them with sips of beer.  His dish featured warm grilled oysters on the half shell with diced cucumber, cilantro, a little Sriracha, and Taiwanese beer to make things nice and authentic.

You can experience Chef Case's Drunken Oysters for yourself now until February at Park Grill, and if you do, make sure to take a picture of yourself enjoying them and tag it with the hashtag #TasteTaiwan for a chance to win an all expenses paid culinary tour of Taiwan!  "Perhaps I shouldn't be telling people about the contest," Brandy contemplated, "After all, then I'll have a better chance of winning and seeing Taiwan for myself!"

The writers of this blog were invited to attend this event free of charge to facilitate the writing of this post.