Eat this, drink that: crepes, paczki, and more

Eat this, drink that: crepes, paczki, and more

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Crêpe du jour with Emmental cheese, roast chicken, marinated artichokes, arugula, and basil La Crêperie du Comptoir in Paris (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

Friday, February 01

WBEZ blogger emeritus Mark Bazer  celebrates the fifth anniversary of The Interview Show, at the Hideout, benefiting the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Very special guests include chef/Goatherdess Stephanie Izard, Jon Langford, Bill Zehme, and Schadenfreude, featuring BEZ’s beloved anti-Marxist Justin Kaufmann. Admission $8.

Chicago Restaurant Week kicks off at over 250 restaurants offering limited edition prix fixe menus for the next 10 days, until next Sunday, February 10. Admission starts at $22 for lunch and $33 or $44 for dinner.

Saturday, February 02

Paris-born French chef Martial Noguier celebrates La Chandeleur, aka crêpes day, at his restaurant Bistronomic. Noguier has created a two-course lunch and three-course dinner prix fixe. The menus offer a first course of caramelized onion soup with shaved Pleasant Ridge Reserve cheese, brioche croutons, and crème fraîche; second course of chicken confit crêpes with mushroom ragout and sauce Mornay; and third, dessert course of Crêpes Suzette with mandarin orange salad and Grand Marnier sauce. Admission $20 for lunch, $28 for dinner.

Sunday, February 03

Filini Bar and Restaurant hosts a Puppy Bowl IX pet-friendly viewing party at the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, benefiting PAWS Chicago! Chef/dog-lover William Johnson will offer pups complimentary treats he made himself. For humans, his creative canine-themed menu start with takes on the classic cocktail Salty Dog: the Chihuahua (Del Maguey mezcal, grapefruit juice, housemade sour mix), Cane Corso (Averna amaro, grapefruit, Angostura Bitters), English Bulldog (Beefeater gin, grapefruit, house sour), Irish Setter (Bushmills whiskey, Bénédictine, Maraschino liqueur), and the Tatra Sheepdog (house-infused clove vodka, mint, Demurer). Food specials include the Chesapeake Bay Retriever (Parrot Island oysters with mignonette), Italian Greyhound (pepperoni pizza), and Weimaraner (bratwurst, brioche bun, sauerkraut). Plus a dessert of a trio of Push Pops: the Beagle (white and black chocolate truffle mousse), Blue Nose American Staffordshire Terrier (blueberry mousse), and the St. Bernard (dark chocolate bourbon mousse). Admission FREE, 10% of Filini’s profits will benefit PAWS, from PB IX kickoff — including the Kitty Half-time Show — until the restaurant’s closing.

Monday, February 04

The Illinois Mycological Association, aka Mushroom Club, welcomes renown mycophile Eugenia Bone at the North Park Village Nature Center. Bone’s lecture will focus on how the biology of mushrooms affects our culinary experience of them. She will also sign her beautiful new book, Mycophilia: Revelations from the Weird World of Mushrooms. Admission FREE for IMA members, $5 suggested donation for non-members, but no one will be turned away due to the lack of funds

Wednesday, February 06

Soup & Bread presents this week’s theme, Down Under: Soups of the Southern Hemisphere, benefiting The Chicago Help Initiative, as always at the Hideout. Bread donated by Publican Quality Meats and La Farine Bakery. Admission FREE, donate what you can and Everyone LOVES the Generous!

Thursday, February 07

The Polish American Association celebrates Fat Thursday/Tłusty Czwartek with a Pączki Day fundraiser at all five Oak Mill Bakery locations, two PAA locations, and Polish radio station WNVR. They say, ""An old Polish proverb states, ‘If you don’t eat at least one doughnut on Fat Thursday, you will not be successful in the New Year.‘” Admission $3 per pączki.

Save the Date: Friday, February 08

The Chicago Auto Show presents the First Look for Charity at McCormick Place, benefiting 18 local charities. The black-tie event will include food and drink David Burke’s Primehouse, Union Sushi + Barbeque Bar, Real Urban Barbecue, Moët Hennessy, and much more. Admission $250.