Dining out: Rosh Hashanah specials, Rick Mirer wine dinner and more
Rosh Hashanah specials
Several suburban restaurants have specials for Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sunset Monday, Sept. 22, and ends at nightfall Wednesday, Sept. 24.
Di Pescara in Northbrook is offering a traditional multicourse dinner featuring apples and honey, challah rolls, matzo ball soup, orchard salad with green goddess dressing, beef chopped liver, gefilte fish and beet horseradish, almond-crusted whitefish, brisket, roasted Brussels sprouts, potato pancakes and more. It’s available Monday and Tuesday for dine-in for $64.95 ($29.95 for kids 5-10). Carryout options are available.
L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge in Lincolnwood is offering similar traditional favorites, including Suzy Friedman’s vegetarian chopped liver, house-made chopped liver, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup, honey-glazed carrots, green beans, wild rice and lentil pilaf, potato pancakes and a choice of rosemary brown butter chicken, potato-crusted Lake Superior whitefish or beef brisket, and a choice of gooey chocolate cake or caramel apple cheesecake from 4-8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. It’s $59.95 for adults and $29.95 for kids younger than 12, and it’s available for dine-in or to-go with reheating instructions.
Saranello’s in Wheeling is offering a family-style dinner with traditional dishes. It’s $64.95 per person, and it’s available for dine-in or carryout.
Wildfire locations in Glenview and Lincolnshire will be cooking up traditional Rosh Hashanah dishes such as braised brisket of beef, Atlantic salmon with lemon caper sauce, spit-roasted apricot-glazed half chicken, Chef Joe’s noodle kugel, caramel-apple challah bread pudding and more.
Mirror Wines dinner
CityGate Grille in Naperville is hosting a Mirror Wines dinner Thursday, Oct. 6, with winemaker Rick Mirer. Yes, it’s that Rick Mirer, the former Notre Dame football star and onetime Chicago Bear.
The evening starts with a reception and pan-seared scallops served with Fountaingrove sauvignon blanc 2023. The first course of porcini-crusted halibut is paired with Play Like A Champion Today 2021.
Pan-seared duck is served with Mirror’s Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon 2021, and a Snake River Farms American wagyu rib-eye is paired with Stagecoach Vineyard cabernet sauvignon 2022. A white chocolate raspberry cheesecake finishes the meal with Sugarloaf Vineyard cabernet franc 2022.
Mirer will tell stories of his playing days and how he founded Mirror Wine Company in 2008. The dinner is $175 per person.
The restaurant is also hosting a patio fundraiser for DuPage Animal Friends on Wednesday, Sept. 24. Traditional barbecue fare along with specialty drinks will be served. A portion of the proceeds will go to help the organization.
Tickets are $75 per person and include food and drink tickets. Leashed dogs get in for free. Donations of food, treats, blankets and toys will be collected for the shelter.
Bon appétit
Niche in Geneva is offering guests a taste of France Wednesday, Sept. 24, during a French-inspired four-course meal of classic dishes reimagined with modern touches.
Start with a foie gras mouse mille-feuille, followed by a cassoulet featuring pheasant breast and pork and pheasant sausage. Beef Bourguignon is the main, followed by opera cake for dessert.
It’s $100, with an optional $40 wine pairing. Make reservations at (630) 262-1000.
National Breakfast Day
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and Guzman y Gomez is celebrating National Breakfast Day (Friday, Sept. 26) by offering $5 Brekkie or Big Brekkie Burritos from 7-10:30 a.m. Monday through Sunday, Sept. 22-28. GYG offers breakfast bowls and burritos with options such as bacon, chorizo or sautéed vegetables topped with house-made guacamole.
The chain, founded in Australia, has suburban locations in Buffalo Grove, Crystal Lake, Deerfield, Des Plaines, Evanston, Naperville and Schaumburg.
Game-day eats
Sundays are for football, and suburban Rookie’s Pub locations want you to watch with them while enjoying game-day specials.
Specials include “almost all-you-can-eat chicken fingers” for $15, a wings (five bone-in wings or half-pound boneless) and fries plate for $10, a mini hot dog flight (choice of chili and cheese, plain or Chicago-style) and fries for $10, $5 beef pizza puff or $10 stadium nachos served in a helmet you can keep.
Drink specials include $8 mini domestic pitchers, $10 mini import and craft pitchers, $7 Bloody Mary’s and $8 mimosas. Fans can also get buckets of Corona ($25), domestic beers ($20) or High Noon seltzers ($30).
Rookie’s has locations in Crystal Lake, Elgin, Geneva, Hoffman Estates, Huntley, Roselle and St. Charles.
Free brat Friday
93 Octane Brewery has brewed up its first Oktoberfest beer and will celebrate the release at the St. Charles location (1825 Lincoln Hwy.) Friday, Sept. 19. Starting at 3 p.m., the first 25 customers who buy a pint of the Haus Fest Pour Bier will get a free brat. A live oompah band will join the festivities from 4-6 p.m.
• Email dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.