SAVOR Sporty Bird opens, Chicago Chefs Cookbook, a second Tacombi
—Celebrate: HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY weekend to all the wonderful moms out there!
—Pop life: Don’t forget my other Substack: “Pop-Eds: My takes on pop culture.” Thank you so much to the people who’ve already subscribed! Among other things and people, my latest column discusses Chicago’s Pride Parade fallout for the mayor and spinach that can send emails, among other things. (Yes, you read that correctly.) Subscribe to Andrew449.Substack.com to get all my thoughts.
And now on to culinary items…
—Good sports: Celebrity chef Art Smith, who’s a big rugby fan, has opened his newest venture: Sporty Bird—a space at Time Out Market Chicago, 916 W. Fulton Market.
Members of the local rugby team the Chicago Hounds, which Smith co-owns, were at the grand opening on May 8. It was quite the affair, as the event featured everything from a pipe band (bagpipe player and drummer) to Father Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk), who blessed the space and the team.
Menu highlights include the Chicago Hounds Sandwich (homemade ciabatta bread, two chicken breasts, Fair Oaks cheddar, crispy Allen Brothers beef bacon, Sporty sauce, homemade pickles, lettuce and tomato); the Sporty Bird sandwich (hHomemade ciabatta bread, toasted with crunchy chicken, Sporty sauce, homemade pickles, lettuce and tomato); and the Bridgeview Sandwich (homemade taboon bread, grilled Halal chicken, hummus, baba ganoush, garlic sauce, harissa, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and tahini)—along with sweets like hummingbird cake.
As for the food, it’s delicious, of course; see https://www.timeoutmarket.com. As for the team, it’s currently 5-3-1 and will hopefully be in the playoffs; learn more about the Hounds at https://www.chicagohounds.com/.
—Get cooking: A collaboration like none other is behind the award-winning humanitarian organization Chicago Chefs Cook putting together the Chicago Chefs CookBook.
Dozens of top Chicagoland culinary figures donated recipes for this very cool cookbook. For example, the book includes Lexington Betty Smokehouse Executive Chef Dominique Leach’s jambalaya recipe; Demera chef/owner Tigist Reda’s beet salad with Ethiopian fusion; Mariano director Amanda Puck’s Mariano’s party paella; Batter & Berries Executive Chef Ken Polk’s buttermilk-fried chicken with cocoa butter waffle; Piccolo Sogno chef/owner Tony Priolo’s ravioli Piccolo Sogno; and Verzenay Chicago owner Arshiya Farheen’s cherry cake. A launch event was held May 11 at Mariano’s Lakeview East, 3030 N. Broadway.
The Chicago Chefs CookBook will be available for purchase at all 44 Mariano’s locations for $9.99, with a special launch price of $6.99 from now through August. Proceeds from the cookbook will benefit Chi-Care, a registered 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to ending hunger across Chicagoland.
For more information about Chi-Care, visit https://www.chi-care.org/about. For more information about Chicago Chefs Cook, check out its Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn page.
—Talking it out: Let’s Talk Womxn will hold a discussion on reinventing restaurants.
The event will take place 5-7 p.m. on May 20 at Vermilion, 10 W. Hubbard St. Chicago reps will include Vermilion founder/owner Rohini Day, Taylor’s Tacos founder Chef Taylor Mason, The Dandy Crown owner Julia Shell, Saigon Sisters founder/CEO Mary Aregoni and Chef Q Ibraheem. Other speakers will represent Miami; Boston; Milwaukee; and Columbus, Ohio.
Tickets are $60/person. Visit https://letstalkwomxn.com/.
—Let’s discuss: The webinar “Food Education and Its Impact: How Schools Inspire and Feed Our Youngest Eaters” will take place on Zoom at 7 p.m. CT on Monday, May 13.
Registration is open to the public and the webinar is free to attend. The webinar is presented by Local Food Forum’s “Better” Dialogues.
Bob Benenson of the Local Food Forum publication and Chef Sarah Stegner of Prairie Grass Cafe have partnered on a biweekly series presenting conversations that tackle important issues facing the food community and all of its constituents nationwide. Each session brings together leaders to discuss and educate listeners on current issues. Speaking about food education are executive directors of two of the most prominent Chicago-based non-profits in that space: Pilot Light’s Alexandra DeSorbo-Quinn of Pilot Light and The Evolved Network’s Sebastian White; Spence Medford and Christy Sherding of The Henry Ford will speak about the importance of getting more locally produced, farm-fresh food into our nation’s schools.
Register for free at https://buytickets.at/localfoodforum/1243842. Registrants will receive a Zoom link to enter the webinar prior to May 13.
—Opening: Mexican taqueria Tacombi is opening its second location in Wicker Park on May 15 at 1442 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The menu at the new Wicker Park taqueria brings together distinct flavors and recipes commonly found around Mexico’s 32 states. Guests can select from favorites like tacos al pastor, Baja crispy fish tacos and beef birria tacos paired with classic margaritas or refreshing aguas frescas.
With each new opening, the taqueria participates in growing the impact of The Tacombi Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to advance Mexican communities through food accessibility, education, and employment training.
—Clear and present: I guess Clearly Canadian—that ‘90s drink—is making a comeback.
I’m seeing ads everywhere, including on the CTA. Since I do remember liking it, I might try a bottle. Do you remember this brand?