Dining out: Big Bowl fetes Chinese New Year with week of good luck specials
Year of the pig
To celebrate Chinese New Year, which is Tuesday, Feb. 5, Big Bowl in Lincolnshire and Schaumburg will be plating good luck foods Friday through Thursday, Feb. 1-7. Specialty drinks include blood orange ginger ale for $3.75 and blood orange sangria (white wine infused with blood orange puree) for $7.50 a glass and $28 a pitcher. Dine on egg drop soup for $4.95-$8.95, roasted pork egg foo young for $9.95, red braised pork shank (Chinese broccoli, mushrooms, pearl onions and jasmine rice) for $17.95, crispy Cantonese cod (Alaskan cod, scallions, Fresno peppers, black bean sauce and jasmine rice) for $17.95 and molasses spice cake with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream for $5.95. Big Bowl is at 215 Parkway Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 808-8880, and 1950 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-8881. bigbowl.com/.
Long Grove Cocoa Crawl
Who doesn't love hot chocolate on a frigid day? Bundle up and head out to Long Grove from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, for the village's annual Cocoa Crawl. Start at Long Grove Visitor's Center, 308 Old McHenry Road, where you can pick up a map of participating stores and restaurants. All Cocoa Crawl stops will be serving hot cocoa or chocolate-inspired drinks and sweets, including hot chocolate popcorn, hot chocolate bark and hot chocolate Krispies. Stop back by the Visitor's Center to vote on your favorite treat and be entered into a raffle for prizes. For details, see longgrove.org/.
Wheaton Restaurant Week
There are just a few more days to take advantage of Wheaton Restaurant Week, which runs now through Feb. 2 or 3. Participating restaurants include Arrowhead Golf Club (special three-course meals run $28-$38), Emmett's Brewing Co. (three-course meal is $19), Gia Mia Pizza Bar (three-course meal is $19), Houlihan's (three-course lunch is $15, three-course dinner is $33), Ivy (three-course meal for two is $59.95), Sushi Mono (seasonal chef specials for $5-$7) and Suzette's Creperie (three-course meal is $30, cassoulet dinner or seafood crepe dinner is $38). For details, see downtownwheaton.com/event/restaurant-week-2019/.
Catch up
Hurry up to enjoy Naperville Restaurant Week specials at Catch 35. For the special prix fixe price of $24 for lunch or $36 or $48 for dinner, enjoy Baja fish tacos, grilled Florida Shrimp, roasted Atlantic Salmon, yellowfin tuna poke bowl, Ecaudorian Mahi Mahi, Georges Bank Haddock, Oscar-style filet mignon medallions, Key lime pie and flourless chocolate cake. Naperville Restaurant Week runs through Feb. 7. Plus, if you come in on a Thursday, bottles of wine are half off. Catch 35 is at 35 S. Washington St., Naperville, (630) 717-3500 or catch35.com/.
By request only
Did you know that you can ask for the off-menu lobster bisque at The Capital Grille? If you do, it will be served tableside with Dry Sack Sherry drizzled on top. Of course, there are many other ways to start your meal, too, including prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella, pan-fried calamari with hot cherry peppers, caramelized French onion soup, roasted beet and goat cheese salad, pear and Gorgonzola salad with toasted walnut vinaigrette and more. The Capital Grille has locations at 87 Yorktown Center, Lombard, (630) 627-9800, and 5340 N. River Road, Rosemont, (847) 671-8125. thecapitalgrille.com/home.
<i> Email clinden@dailyherald.com with suburban dining events.</i>