Dining events: Lent, Irish specials on the menu this weekend
Whirlyball's St. Patty's Reuben pizza
Whirlyball goes Irish with a Reuben pizza available all day St. Patrick's Day. It's topped with Guinness corned beef, Irish herb butter, four-cheese blend, coleslaw, spicy giardiniera and a cream drizzle. Get an extra large for $18. Available dine-in or carryout. Whirlyball has suburban locations in Vernon Hills and Lombard. whirlyball.com.
Q-BBQ's corned beef and cod
Q-BBQ celebrates St. Patty's Day with a smoked corned beef sandwich, hickory smoked on a brioche bun and topped with sweet cabbage and spicy horseradish for $9.99. You can also choose the smoked corned beef plate for $13.99. Or follow Lent with the Corona battered cod sandwich, topped with pickles, red onion, lettuce, tomato and homemade tartar sauce for $9.99. Q-BBQ has suburban locations in Naperville and La Grange. Q-BBQ.com.
Fish Fridays at Shaw's
Shaw's Crab House celebrates Lent with two extra specials available all day and for carryout now through Good Friday. Try the Shrimp Louis Salad and mini key lime pie for $17; or the fisherman's platter with fried shrimp, scallops and Atlantic cod served with french fries, coleslaw and a mini key lime pie for $23. Shaw's Crab House, 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg. (847) 517-2722 or shawscrabhouse.com.
Manhattan's St. Patrick's specials
Through Sunday, catch Manhattan's American Bar and Grill's St. Patrick's specials: corned beef and cabbage served with carrots and red potatoes, lunch for $11.99, dinner for $14.99 or all you can eat for $19.99; or the shepherd's pie with tender tips of filet, sauteed carrots, celery, peas and potatoes, simmered with a brown demi-glace and topped with crispy mashed potatoes for $12.99. Both are served with a garden salad or soup of the day and warm bread. Manhattan's American Bar and Grill, 300 S. Schmale Road, Carol Stream. (630) 871-2991 or manhattansamericanbarandgrill.com.
National ravioli day
Francesca's Restaurants celebrates national ravioli day Monday with three different $6 ravioli dishes. They are: the ravioli con ricotta, a ricotta-filled pasta with a light tomato basil sauce and wilted spinach topped with ricotta; a ravioli con spinaci, a spinach-filled pasta sauteed with a four-cheese sauce, tomato sauce and parmigiana; and the ravioli con salsiccia e broccolini, sausage and broccolini-filled pasta with a spicy cherry tomato sauce and shaved Parmesan. Francesca's Restaurants has locations throughout the suburbs. miafrancesca.com.
More ravioli day
Keep the ravioli coming on Monday. Buy one ravioli dish and take one home for free at Brio Tuscan Grille. Among the options: ravioli di bello, portobello ravioli with cremini mushrooms, grape tomatoes, Parmesan, thyme and champagne brown butter sauce for $12.95 at lunch or $15.95 at dinner. Or the lobster and black pepper shrimp ravioli for $19.95 at lunch or $22.95 at dinner. Brio Tuscan Grille, 330 Yorktown Center, Lombard. (630) 424-1515 or brioitalian.com.