Dining out: Two Brothers hosts For the Love of Hops Fest Saturday
For the Love of Hops Fest
Go beer, er big, or go home at Two Brothers' For the Love of Hops Festival, running from noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, in the parking lot of the Warrenville brewery. On tap will be all of Two Brothers' brews, plus beers from craft breweries from around the country and some new beers (For the Love of Hops, Le Bon Temps, Hop Pants DIPA) available only at the event. Guest breweries include 10 Barrel Brewing Company, Ale Song Brewing, Four Sting Brewing Company, Grossen Bart Brewery, Oskar Blues Brewery, Ska Brewing, Sleepy Dog Brewing and Sun King Brewery. And don't forget the food tents and bands: Red Woody, Zion Iyahbinghi & The Conscious Rockers, River Valley Rangers and Jim Green. Attendees also will be able to purchase rare and festival-exclusive beers to take home. General admission tickets cost $5 in advance and $10 the day-of. The $60 VIP ticket includes five Two Brothers draft beers, the lunch and dinner buffet, snacks, a private screened-in viewing area, indoor bathrooms and air conditioning. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Giant Steps of Lisle. Two Brothers Brewing Company is at 30W315 Calumet Ave. W, Warrenville, (630) 393-2337, twobrothersbrewing.com/event/two-brothers-for-the-love-of-hops-festival/.
National Lasagna Day
Are you ready for National Lasagna Day Sunday, July 29? Francesca's Restaurants will be baking up two lasagna dishes that are only $8 all day on Sunday and Monday, July 29-30. Try the Lasagna alla Bolognese (homemade lasagna baked with a tomato-meat sauce, Parmesan cream and fresh mozzarella) and/or the Lasagna Portobello e Spinaci (homemade lasagna baked with portobello mushrooms, spinach, ricotta, Parmesan cream sauce and a touch of tomato). Francesca's has locations in Arlington Heights, Barrington, Bolingbrook, Elmhurst, Lake Forest, Naperville, Northbrook, St. Charles and more. miafrancesca.com/.
Revamped and ready
Kona Grill recently introduced a revamped menu featuring dishes made from scratch in-house. Of the more than 25 new items and handcrafted cocktails, diners will find options such as the crunchy spicy tuna roll, crispy Korean chicken sandwich, Hamachi Nachi (diced yellowtail drizzled with yuzu ponzu, poke sauce, pear, pickled onion and macadamia nuts on housemade taro chips), miso salmon club, Hawaiian pomfret (fresh-caught grilled Hawaiian pomfret topped with macadamia nut romesco sauce and lemon arugula garnish), Kona Steakhouse Roll (slices of filet layered with charred mushrooms in a uramaki roll, topped with Brussels sprouts, yamagobo, K1 steak sauce and fried shallot rings) and more on the menu. New sippers feature the Poema Cava Brut Rosé from Catalonia, Spain; a sake flight; and a variety of new sakes including Awa Yuki Sparkling and Ozeki Rai Junmai. Kona Grill is located at 940 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, (847) 955-1210, and 3051 Butterfield Road, Oak Brook, (630) 515-8395. konagrill.com/.
Puppy Patio Menu at Che Figata
The dog days of summer are here, and at Naperville's Che Figata, that means it's time for the restaurant's Puppy Patio Menu. Executive chef Mark Grimes has devised a furkid-friendly menu to be enjoyed by dogs on the patio. Canine friends will have the choice of FetchMe Grigio (a dog wine made from filtered water infused with organic bacon extract and enriched with organic salmon oil), a burger bowl, porchetta ear, a cicchetti bowl of treats and Galvania water, either sparkling or still. At the same time, human friends can enjoy Italy-to-table specialties including housemade pastas, wood-fired meats and Mediterranean seafood, plus specialty wines and cocktails. Che Figata is at 2155 CityGate Lane, Suite 103, Naperville, (630) 579-3210, chefigatakitchen.com/.
Weber Grill Academy
Up your grilling game this summer with help from the new Weber Grill Academy, which is opening for business in August at the Schaumburg location. Located on a covered outdoor patio adjacent to the restaurant, classes will be available from March through early November (weather permitting). Learn how to grill on a variety of both gas and charcoal Weber grills. The first class, Burgers 1.0, runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 3. Learn how to make an Over the Top Bacon Burger, Grilled Russet Potatoes, a Turkey Burger, Grilled Guacamole, and a Grilled Broccoli and Bacon Salad. It costs $50 per person and is limited to 20 participants. Advance registration is required. Upcoming class options include Steaks 1.0 Aug. 4, Backyard Classics Aug. 8, Ladies Only Aug. 10, Surf & Turf 1.0 Aug. 11, Grate Grilled Pizza Aug. 17 and more. Weber Grill is at 1010 N. Meacham Road, Schaumburg, (847) 413-0800, webergrillrestaurant.com/schaumburg-events/.
On the patio
Head outside at Morton's The Steakhouse in Naperville for Puff on the Patio from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 2. Dine on hors d'oeuvres and sip select spirits during the event, which includes two premium cigars from Arango Cigars. It's $85 per person, including tax and gratuity. Reservations required; the event will be held rain or shine. Morton's The Steakhouse is at 1751 Freedom Drive, Naperville, (630) 577-1372, mortons.com/naperville/.