Lifestyle

Dining out: Chicago Dogs host Gingerbread Decorating Party, Elf Invasion Pub Crawl takes over Highwood

Posted December 04, 2019 11:00 am

Caroline Linden

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Decorate a gingerbread house and more during the Chicago Dogs' Gingerbread Decorating and Cookie Party Sunday, Dec. 8. Courtesy of Matt Zuro

Bourbon & cigars

Dress warmly for CityGate Grille's Bourbon & Cigar Rolling event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, which will take place inside and outside around the fire pit on the patio. The night includes passed appetizers and special bourbon and cigar combos, including Makers Mark, Jim Beam or Buffalo Trace bourbon with a cigar for $30 and Bookers, Bulleit or Woodford Reserve bourbon with a cigar for $45. Plus, a master cigar roller will be on hand to discuss various cigars, which will be available to purchase. Reservations are required.

CityGate Grille is at 2020 Calamos Court, Naperville, (630) 718-1010 or experiencecitygate.com/events/bourbon-cigar-rolling-at-citygate-grille/.

Pasta-making class

Ever wondered how to make pasta at home but didn't know where to start? Learn the how-tos of making pastas such as tagliatelle, tortellini, agnolotti and garganelli from Executive Chef Austin Fausett and Chef de Cuisine Brett Neubauer during Che Figata's pasta-making class from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 and 14. The $75 class also includes a four-course family-style meal featuring salad, pasta, roasted chicken, chocolate mousse bars and sips of sparkling wine. Reservations are required.

Che Figata is at 2155 City Gate Lane, Suite 103, Naperville, (630) 579-3210, chefigatakitchen.com/event-calendar/pasta-making-class/12-7-2019 or eventbrite.com/.

Elf Invasion Pub Crawl

It's time to get dressed up like an elf and head out to Highwood's Elf Invasion Pub Crawl starting at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. While visiting the five participating pubs, enjoy food and drinks specials, live music, raffles, and prizes for original and creative costumes. The fun starts at 28 Mile Vodka & Distillery, 454 Sheridan Road, and runs until 8 p.m. before moving on to The Humble Pub, 336 Green Bay Road, from 8 to 9 p.m. Then head to The Toadstool Pub, 327 Waukegan Ave., from 9 to 10 p.m. and Teddy O'Brian's, 432 Sheridan Road, from 10 to 11 p.m. Last up is The Wooden Nickel, 444 Lakeview Ave., starting at 11 p.m. The pub crawl costs $20, which includes a commemorative glass that can be used at the pubs for drink specials.

For details and to register, see celebratehighwood.org/elf-invasion-pub-crawl/.

On Saturday, Dec. 7, Yard House is introducing a new tequila-inspired, agave-infused platinum IPA called Noble Pursuit. Courtesy of Yard House

New brew

To celebrate 23 years in business, on Saturday, Dec. 7, Yard House is introducing a new tequila-inspired, agave-infused platinum IPA called Noble Pursuit, which will be available year-round.

Yard House is at 1880 Tower Drive, Glenview, (847) 729-9273, and 2301 Fountain Square Drive, Lombard, (630) 495-1912, or yardhouse.com/.

Gingerbread House Party

The Chicago Dogs are getting in on the holiday fun with their second annual Holiday Gingerbread Decorating and Cookie Party from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, in the Rivers Stadium Club inside Impact Field in Rosemont. Kids of all ages can decorate a gingerbread house while enjoying hot chocolate, coffee and cookies. Don't forget your camera as Santa Claus and the Chicago Dogs mascots Squeeze and Ketchup will be available for photos. Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for kids.

Impact Field is at 9850 Balmoral Ave., Rosemont, (847) 636-5450 or thechicagodogs.com/gingerbreadhouse/.

Krispy Kreme recently added new holiday doughnuts to its menu. Courtesy of Krispy Kreme

Chocolate takeover

In time for the holidays, Krispy Kreme just released three new doughnuts, including the Reindeer Doughnut dipped in chocolate icing with pretzel antlers, the Santa Belly chocolate-cream-filled doughnut and the Present Doughnut filled with original Kreme. If you're a chocolate fanatic, you won't want to miss the chocolate takeover Friday through Sunday, Dec. 6-8, featuring the chocolate glazed doughnut, the chocolate glazed filled with original Kreme, the chocolate glazed filled with chocolate cake batter and the chocolate glazed filled with chocolate Kreme.

Krispy Kreme is at 412 E. Devon Ave., Elk Grove Village; 108 N. State St. #50, Chicago; 110 S. Mannheim Road, Hillside; and 17815 Halsted St., Homewood, krispykreme.com/.

Culinary tour

Experience the world close to home as Tokio Asian Fusion and Big Bowl join forces to take diners on a Culinary Tour of Asia starting at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, at Tokio. Try tastes from Japan, China, Korea and Thailand during the four-course dinner, which includes beverage pairings. Tickets, which cost $49.95 per person, are available at exploretock.com/tokioasianfusion/event/82804/culinary-tour-of-asia.

Tokio Asian Fusion is at 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181 or tokioasianfusion.com/.

Fill up on smoked short rib during the Dec. 12 Prisoner Wine dinner at The Rose Hotel in Rosemont. Courtesy of The Rose Hotel

Wine & dine

Rosemont's The Rose Hotel is collaborating with Prisoner Wine for a four-course wine dinner starting with cocktails at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12. John Samaritano will host the $80 dinner, which features each course paired with a glass of wine. Executive chef Nicholas Malloy has devised a menu that includes scallops with parsnip puree, poached apple, shaved asparagus, pancetta and microgreens; smoked short rib with cranberry polenta, rainbow chard, onion ash and garlic confit chimichurri; and braised lamb shank with pita skordalia, fried rosemary, pearl onion and lamb jus. Save room for dessert, which features red wine cheesecake with a red wine strawberry reduction. For tickets, email Amy at amy.brown@hilton.com.

The Rose Hotel is at 5200 Pearl St., Rosemont, tapestrycollection3.hilton.com/tc/the-rose-chicago/.

Dine on scallops and more during The Rose Hotel's Prisoner Wine dinner Dec. 12. Courtesy of The Rose Hotel

Cheer and beer

It's time for Two Brothers Annual Holiday Party, which this year will feature the release of two holiday beers: Cherry Northwind and Coffee Northwind Stouts. Head over to Two Brothers Tap House in Warrenville starting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, to take advantage of a special holiday food menu and take photos with the Two Brothers Keg Tree. The event is free, but Two Brothers will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for DuPage County Toys for Tots.

Two Brothers Tap House is at 30W315 Calumet Ave. W, Warrenville, (630) 393-2337 or twobrothersbrewing.com/.

Oven-baked pastas are back at Olive Garden. Courtesy of Olive Garden

Bubbly goodness

If it's comfort food you seek, Olive Garden recently brought back its oven-baked pastas. New this year are the smoked mozzarella shrimp rigatoni and four-meat Italian mac and cheese, which join asiago tortelloni Alfredo, with or without grilled chicken. Dishes start at $11.99.

Olive Garden has locations throughout the suburbs. olivegarden.com/.

Chicago's Three Dots and a Dash recently introduced its holiday cocktail menu, which is available through the end of the year. Courtesy of Jeff Marini

Winter warmers

Need a pick-me-up? Three Dots and a Dash in River North recently introduced its holiday cocktail menu, which is available through the end of the year. A few drinks to consider: Eat the Yellow Snow (aged Barbados Rum, lime, clarified strawberry and pineapple snow for two for $35), Truckload of Cheer (Bonded Bourbon, aged Cachaca, lemon, apple cordial, cinnamon and Seedling Farms Apple Cider for three to four revelers for $60), Mistletoe Mai Tai (cranberry spice Jamaican Overproof Rum, lime and almond orgeat for $15), Gingerbread Painkiller (Caribbean Rum Blend, tangerine, pineapple, coconut and gingerbread for $14), Buddy's Punch (aged Barbados Rum, aged Panama Rum, lime, almond orgeat and cranberry cordial for $20, $30 to keep the mug), Reindeer Games (aged Caribbean Rum Blend, pineapple, coconut and Costa Rica cacao nibs for $18, $28 to keep the mug), and You Don't Gnome Me (Blanco Tequila, passion fruit, ginger and fruitcake cordial for three to four for $65).

Three Dots and a Dash is at 435 N. Clark St., Chicago, (312) 610-4220 or threedotschicago.com/.

Escape to the islands with Bahama Breeze's new Jamaican-inspired drinks, appetizers and entrees. Courtesy of Bahama Breeze

Cool Rummings

If the cold, dreary weather is already getting you down, Bahama Breeze's Jamaican Cool Rummings might be the antidote. Escape to the islands with new cocktails such as the Rumaway Pineapple (Appleton Rum, pineapple juice, turmeric, sweet and sour, cranberry juice and fresh mint leaves) and the Montego Bay Breeze (featuring color-changing layers of Appleton Rum, Cruzan Pineapple Rum, Blue Curacao, pineapple juice and sweet and sour and served with a side of sweet desert pear). And fill up on the new jerk chicken pinchos app (jerk-seasoned grilled chicken skewers with a side of pineapple chutney) and the chicken and shrimp pineapple rice entree (Jamaican jerk-seasoned chicken and shrimp mixed with jerk-seasoned white rice, diced pineapple, sweet peppers, shiitake mushrooms and chickpeas that's served inside a fresh-cut pineapple).

Bahama Breeze is at 406 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, (847) 884-7060 or bahamabreeze.com/.

Email clinden@dailyherald.com with dining and night life events.

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