Dining out: National Cabernet Day, 'MasterChef' casting call and more
‘MasterChef' casting call
Do you love to cook? And, most importantly, do you have the moxie it takes to survive the pressures of a reality TV show? If the answer is yes to both, then put your best chef self forward for Fox's “MasterChef.” Casting producers for season 10 will be in Chicago from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22, in search of the next best amateur cook. All backgrounds and cooking styles are being sought. For more details and to apply, go to masterchefcasting.com/.
Beer, beer, beer
Algonquin's Scorched Earth Brewing Co. was recently honored with three medals at the Illinois Beer Festival, which brought together 35 breweries throughout Illinois. Scorched Earth received a bronze medal for its Giant Killer IPA (American IPA category), Rugged Coalminer Porter (Dark Ale category) and Pils German Style Pilsner (Pilsner category). Stop by the brewery to try the brews, and while you're there, enjoy eats from Toasty Taco food truck at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31; live music from Jim Green at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1; or try your hand at trivia night starting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 6. Scorched Earth Brewing Co. is at 203 Berg St., Algonquin, (224) 209-8472 or scorchedearthbrewing.com/.
Wine-derful
There's a day for everything: Friday, Aug. 31, is National Cabernet Day. And to celebrate, Perry's Steakhouse & Grille in Oak Brook is offering its magnum bottle of Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon for $99 (regularly $155) with the purchase of two lunch or dinner entrees. The magnum is double the size of a standard bottle, but open bottles can be preserved with Perry's take-home technique, so you don't have to finish it during your meal. Reservations are requested. Perry's Steakhouse & Grille is at 5 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 571-1808 or perryssteakhouse.com/menu-locations/chicago/oak-brook/.
End of Summer Luau
Pheasant Run is going all out for its End of Summer Luau over Labor Day weekend. Enjoy DJ Susanne's pool parties with live music, dive-in movies, kids' activities and lots of grilled Caribbean-style food from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on the patio. Nosh on shrimp kebabs ($6), jerk chicken ($5), mango and chipotle barbecue ribs ($7), grilled corn on the cob ($1), foot-long hot dogs ($3) and sweet plantains ($2). And sip on specialty luau drinks such as the Blue Hawaiian ($6), Frozen Lime Daiquiri ($7), Bahama Mama ($8) and Mai Tai ($9). A daily pool pass costs $15. Events start at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31, and 10 a.m. Saturday through Monday, Sept. 1-3. Pheasant Run Resort is at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 584-6300 or pheasantrun.com/labor-day.aspx.
Grill hotline
What happens if you're hosting a barbecue on Labor Day for lots of guests and you run into a grilling problem? LongHorn Steakhouse is here to help with its GRILL US hotline — (855) LH-GRILL — which will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3. LongHorn grill masters will be ready to dole out advice and tailgating tips, including recommending the perfect cut of steak, guiding grillers through techniques for any cut of meat and navigating tricky scenarios such as what to do when a steak is overdone. If you'd rather go the social media route, you can chat live with an expert on LongHorn Steakhouse's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram through Labor Day when using #LHGrillMaster. LongHorn Steakhouse has locations throughout the suburbs. See longhornsteakhouse.com/home.
Whiskey and rye
Tongue-tied when it comes to bourbon or whiskey? Learn about blending and taste when Master Blender David Whitmer of MGP Distillery hosts high-rye seminars featuring George Remus Bourbon and Rossville Union Rye Whiskey at Binny's. Make reservations now for the 6:30 to 8 p.m. talks on Wednesday, Sept. 5, in Wheeling and Thursday, Sept. 6, in Oak Brook. Also featured in the seminars will be the very limited Remus Repeal Reserve (winner of the 2018 Chairman's Trophy/97-points Ultimate Beverage Challenge). Binny's Wheeling is at 1550 E. Lake-Cook Road, (847) 459-2200, and Binny's Oak Brook is at 1500 16th St., (630) 861-1810. binnys.com/.
• Email clinden@dailyherald.com with suburban dining events.