Dining out: Alpine Fest, wine dinner, new lounge in Aurora and more
Now that the really cold weather is (hopefully) behind us this week, head to Long Grove this weekend to enjoy some outdoor time at Buffalo Creek Brewing’s Alpine Fest, a celebration of German beer culture and the Bavarian Alps. Plus, Niche in Geneva is hosting a German-inspired multicourse dinner Wednesday, Jan. 29. The new year also brings with it a new lounge in Aurora, new menu offerings at Old Town Pour House and a new happy hour at Violi. Cheers to the new!
Feels like Alpine Fest outside
That cold air you feel outside is a sign that Alpine Fest is back in Long Grove.
Inspired by trips to the Bavarian Alps by Buffalo Creek Brewing owner and brewmaster Mike Marr, Alpine Fest transforms the brewery’s outdoor biergarten area into a winter wonderland with nods to German beer culture everywhere you look Friday and Saturday, Jan. 24-25.
You can stay (relatively) warm by the fire pits while sipping freshly brewed beer and enjoying German music by Alpine Thunder. Or join in games like classic stein-holding contests.
Traditional German food such as foot-long Frankfurters, bratwurst, giant pretzels and cheese rosti will be available, along with a new small-batch beer release, Toffee Nut Crunch, which combines the flavors of caramel, almond and toffee in a smooth, medium-bodied brown ale.
Speaking of Germany
Immerse yourself in the flavors of Germany at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, during Niche’s curated multicourse dinner.
The five-course meal starts with duck confit riesling fritters followed by shrimp on rye with peppered mackerel mousse. Beef and spinach ravioli is next, with an entrée of beer-braised corned pork belly. Finish the meal with apfelkuchen, a German apple cake. The dinner at the Geneva restaurant is $95 per person. Reservations can be made at (630) 262-1000.
Wine dinner
Main Street Social in Libertyville is readying for its first wine dinner of the year at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, with a selection of wines from the Paul Hobbs portfolio.
The four-course meal is paired with five wines, including a welcome glass of Hillick and Hobbs, Seneca Lake, New York, dry riesling. The dinner starts with bacon and egg yolk ravioli, paired with Yacoubian Hobbs, a dry white wine from Armenia.
Pasta alla Genovese, paired with Crossbarn Sonoma Coast pinot noir, is next, followed by duck breast with Italian plums, which is paired with Paul Hobbs, Coombsville Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon.
Finish the meal with a raspberry souffle paired with Bramare Valle de Uco, Argentina malbec.
Reservations for the $95 per person dinner can be made by emailing pat@mainstreetsoc.com.
Lounging about
Leilani Asian Fusion in Aurora is opening a new upscale lounge on the lower level of the restaurant at 2 N. River St.
Forbidden City Lounge will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, to coincide with the Lunar New Year. The lounge will offer house-crafted signature cocktails and live entertainment.
Happy hour
Greek restaurant Violi in Oakbrook Center recently rolled out a new happy hour menu. And if you like oysters, they will be happy hours indeed.
The new menu, available from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, features $1 fresh oysters, served with cocktail sauce and mignonette, as well as $8 Boukia, which translates to small bite or mouthful, like grilled meatballs and crispy calamari.
Wash it down with a selection of $9 wines and specialty cocktails.
The chef recommends …
Old Town Pour House has been offering a rotating Chef Selects menu, with dishes that change every eight weeks to spotlight fresh ingredients and buzzworthy items.
The first iteration of the 2025 rotation is available at the Oak Brook and Naperville locations, highlighted by an Italian chopped salad wrap inspired by TikTok’s viral chopped sandwich.
The menu also includes barbecue-spiced pork rinds paired with creamy pimento cheese dip and Korean braised short rib. Featured drinks include the blueberry mint gin and tonic and the nonalcoholic Cucumber Cure.
Think warm thoughts
Have the winter blues already? Head to Martini Room in Elgin from 4:30-10 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, for a margarita tasting that will warm up your taste buds.
The tasting menu includes four offerings: the Resolution 2025, with silver tequila, blood orange and mint syrup, Aperol, lime juice and a dash of blood orange puree; the Smoking Hot, with silver tequila, guava puree, Agave de Cortez Mezcal, sweet and sour, and a raspberry and lime garnish; the Classic, with silver tequila, lime juice, Grand Marnier, sweet and sour and orange juice; and the Frostbite, with cilantro tequila, habanero triple sec, grapefruit juice, rosemary syrup and lime juice.
• Email dining news to rwest@dailyherald.com.