Dining out: Suburban eateries offer new seasonal menu dishes and drinks
We’ve got some new seasonal menu items, news from a pair of fast-food giants and a call for suggestions on your favorite breakfast spots.
New menu items
It’s hard to tell if it’s spring or summer around here lately, but when the seasons change, restaurants usually follow suit with some seasonal additions to their menus.
Old Town Pour House, with locations in Naperville and Oak Brook, has released its most recent Chef Selects lineup, which rotates every eight weeks.
From now until July 16, diners can try the new Beer Battered Korean Cauliflower ($14.95) and the Elote Flatbread ($15.95). New drink offerings are the Hot Honey Lemonade, with Tullamore D.E.W., St-Germain, honey syrup, chili simple syrup, lemon juice and lemonade, and the Raspberry St-Germain Spritz.
Bottleneck Rewards members who try all four items will receive a $15 reward as a thank you.
Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille locations in Oak Brook, Schaumburg and Vernon Hills have a trio of off-the-menu, limited-time offerings available throughout June, including an artichoke, potato and leek soup with truffle oil ($14); the Three Kings Mignon ($65), an applewood-smoked bacon-wrapped filet mignon topped with king crab and truffle butter; and an orange vanilla cream cheesecake for dessert ($12).
June specials also include a $39 three-course menu for active and former military members and seniors, as well as the Burger and Blanco, a Bar 79-exclusive special pairing Perry’s Butcher’s Steak Burger with the Strait Paloma for $24.
The Table at Crate in Oak Brook dropped some new spring offerings, including the Heirloom Tomato Salad ($16); the Just a Good Caesar salad ($18); the Stracciatella appetizer ($14) featuring PQB sourdough with cherry relish, candied pecans, hot honey and za’atar; and a Branzino entrée ($34) served with Romesco, shaved fennel, marinated white beans and lemon.
Lazy Dog has a new limited-time cocktail inspired by a local specialty of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Sloshie is a frozen cocktail with a little extra kick. Lazy Dog’s prickly pear version blends Pantalones Organic Reposado Tequila, prickly pear puree, housemade agave nectar sweet and sour, triple sec and a house salt rim.
No more CosMc’s
Less than two years after debuting to much curiosity and drive-through lines that took hours to get through, McDonald’s is pulling the plug on its CosMc’s concept restaurants.
The chain announced last week that they’ll be closing all five locations by the end of June, including their first location in Bolingbrook.
The space-themed spinoff, based on an alien character that appeared in McD’s advertising in the ’80s and ’90s, aimed to take on specialty coffee and beverage chains and allowed the company to “test new, bold flavors and different technologies and processes — without impacting the existing McDonald’s experience for customers and crew,” its statement read.
The company said some CosMc’s-inspired flavors will be landing at McDonald’s as part of the upcoming U.S. beverage test.
Meanwhile, at Burger King …
Burger King is calling all dragon trainers, or just fans of the upcoming live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” movie, to try four dragon-inspired takes on menu favorites.
The Dragon Flame-Grilled Whopper is served on a red-and-orange-marbled bun colored with natural spices and vegetables, while spice lovers can try the Fiery Dragon Mozzarella Fries featuring peppers and Fiery Calabrian chili pepper breading. Wash it down with the Soaring Strawberry Lemonade and finish with a Viking’s Chocolate Sundae.
Burger King will also launch a game — “Night Fury Flight” — inspired by the new film in the BK app and on the web that’s playable from now until July 15. Royal Perks members can play daily to receive exclusive offers and be entered for a chance to win sweepstakes prizes, including digital AMC Theatres gift cards and a grand prize trip for four to Universal Orlando Resort to experience the all-new “How to Train Your Dragon — Isle of Berk” attraction.
What’s for breakfast?
Following a story I wrote last week on places to get a hamburger for National Burger Day, a reader named Karen suggested we do the same for places to grab a great breakfast. OK, I’m game and I’m open to suggestions
Shoot me an email at rwest@dailyherald.com and let me know what your favorite breakfast spot is and, if you feel like it, why. If you want to add your go-to dish, all the better.
• Send dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.