Dining out: Earth Day specials, plus get a free Wetzel's pretzel on National Pretzel Day
Earth Day eats
For Earth Day - Saturday, April 22 - Prairie Grass Cafe chef Sarah Stegner organized four of her fellow chefs at other Chicago restaurants to feature Lion's Mane mushrooms in specialty sandwiches for the day. At the Northbrook restaurant, Chef Stegner will be serving the crispy battered Lion's Mane sandwich featuring Four Star mushrooms and Three Sisters garden pea shoots slaw. Darnell Reed of Luella's Southern Kitchen in Chicago will be making the smoked Lion's Mane mushroom sandwich with Creole cheddar aioli, arugula and cheddar Parmesan crisp on sesame brioche, while Brian Jupiter of Frontier Chicago will be serving up the fried Lion's Mane mushroom sandwich with tomatoes, fried kale, chimichurri and provolone. And Greg Wade of One Off Hospitality - Publican Quality Bread in Chicago will be crafting the seared Lion's Mane sandwich with salsa matcha, pickled red onions, clothbound cheddar and arugula on pizza bianca.
Prairie Grass Cafe is at 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, (847) 205-4433, prairiegrass.cafe/. Luella's Southern Kitchen is at 4609 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, (773) 961-8196, luellassouthernkitchen.com/. Frontier is at 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, (773) 772-4322, thefrontierchicago.com/. Publican Quality Bread is at 1759 W. Grand Ave., Chicago, publicanqualitybread.com/.
Growing for Good
This spring, Skeleton Key Brewery is encouraging patrons to grow veggies for the West Suburban Community Pantry by giving away free seed packets and starter pots from noon to 5 p.m. on Earth Day Saturday. While you're there, check out the seed-growing demo and get more info from GardenWorks Project. Once the veggies are ready to be harvested, Skeleton Key will be hosting drop-off days at the brewery for you to bring in the produce and get special brewery perks for participating. Registration is required.
Skeleton Key Brewery is at 8102 Lemont Road, #300, Woodridge, skeletonkeybrewery.com/growforgood.
Thomas & Dutch debuts
Evanston welcomes the new Thomas & Dutch, which opened this week downtown. The modern, elevated Midwestern menu includes roasted Berkshire pork tenderloin, fried walleye, beef Wellington, creative desserts and more. To accompany the upscale fare is a curated wine and cocktails list that includes the Honeydew Spritz (gin, honeydew, honey and bubbles), the Beetroot Manhattan (rye, pickled beet and mushroom) and the Sloe Gin Fizz (sloe gin, tart cherry, rhubarb, prosecco and egg white). Thomas & Dutch will be open for dinner from 5-11:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Lunch and brunch menus and hours will be added this summer. Reservations are available on Resy.
Thomas & Dutch is at 703 Church St., Evanston, (847) 492-9700, thomasanddutch.com/.
Taco Pros opens
Chicago-born Taco Pros is celebrating the opening of its seventh fast-casual Mexican eatery, this one in Gurnee, with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. Friday, April 21. The first 50 customers will receive a $25 gift card. The menu features apps, tacos, burritos, protein bowls, enchiladas, tortas, sides, desserts and more.
Taco Pros is at 6681 Grand Ave., Gurnee, tacopros.com/.
National Pretzel Day
If you've been waiting all year for National Pretzel Day - Wednesday, April 26 - the wait is over. And to fete the occasion, Wetzel's Pretzels will be giving away one free original pretzel to every guest that stops in from 3 p.m. until close on that Wednesday. Easy, right?
Wetzel's Pretzels has locations at Fashion Outlets of Chicago in Rosemont, Gurnee Mills in Gurnee, Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg, Orland Square Mall in Orland Park and more. wetzels.com/home.
Social hour
Get social a little earlier with a toda madre and Bien Trucha's new social hour from 4-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, when traditional margaritas and Mexican beers are half off.
A toda madre is at 499 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, (630) 474-0969, atmrestaurant.com/, and Bien Trucha is at 410 W. State St., Geneva, (630) 232-2665, bientrucha.com/.
Willy Wonka dinner
The Chocolate Sanctuary is having a little fun with its Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory-themed April Chefs Dinner at 6 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, April 26-27. The $50 per person event starts off much like the movie with Wonka's Favorites (Coca-Cola chocolate cake served with a chocolate river and lickable wallpaper), before moving on to the Golden Gooseberry Salad paired with the Fizzy Lifting Drink. Next up is the Three Course Meal Gum (tomato soup, roast beef and a baked potato served on a TV tray) paired with the Oompa Loompa drink. The meal ends with the housemade blueberry ice cream paired with an Everlasting Gobstopper shot. Reservations are required for the set dinner.
The Chocolate Sanctuary is at 5101 Washington St., Gurnee, (224) 944-0808, thechocolatesanctuary.com/.
Seasonal sips
With the warmer weather comes new spring sippers at Topgolf. On the menu for a limited time are the frozen piña colada (Malibu Coconut Rum, Coco Reàl Cream of Coconut, passion fruit, pineapple juice and a maraschino cherry), Sunset Marg (Patrón Silver Tequila, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, blood orange, orange juice, lime juice and tajin), Pear G&Tee (Hendrick's Gin, pear syrup, lime juice, tonic water and a cucumber slice), Key Lime 'Tini (Deep Eddy Lime Vodka, Cointreau, Coco Reàl Cream of Coconut, Monin Key Lime Pie, lime juice and a crushed graham cracker rim), and the nonalcoholic Mango Cooler (Monin Mango, Ruby Red grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, citrus sour, ginger ale and orange).
Topgolf is at 3211 Odyssey Court, Naperville, (630) 596-1000, and 2050 Progress Parkway, Schaumburg, (847) 656-2122, topgolf.com/us/.
What a deal!
Can you believe it? The $1 chicken sandwich is back at Rookies during the month of April. A few stipulations: The special is for dine-in only, a beverage purchase is required, and toppings are extra. Still, it's definitely a deal.
Rookies is at 2486 Bushwood Drive, Elgin, (847) 551-9006; 1996 S. Kirk Road, Geneva, (630) 402-0468; 4607 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates, (847) 645-0005; 12220 Princeton Drive, Huntley, (847) 669-8600; 1360 Lake St., Roselle, (847) 278-1666; 1545 W. Main St., St. Charles, (630) 513-0681; rookiespub.com/.
Send restaurant news to clinden@dailyherald.com