SPOTLIGHT: I was fortunate enough to be invited to The Spice House x Diego dinner party at the latter spot on June 11.
Diego Executive Chef Stephen Sandoval prepared dishes that incorporated items from—you guessed it!—The Spice House.
The incredible dishes included oysters served with cocktail sauce and pico de gallo, featuring The Spice House’s Aleppo peppers; tuna tostada with maths, avocado and leche de tigre, featuring spicy adobo seasoning; poblano relleno with lentils, peas, mushrooms and quest de cabra, featuring ground guajillo chiles; and (my favorite) steak aside with beer onion, tatemada, guacamole, beans and rice tortillas, with carne asada season. Chef de Cuisine Gavin Yang joined the fun by serving Basque-style cheesecake served with ancho blackberry jam, masa streusel and mint, featuring The Spice House’s vanilla bean sugar.
As an added treat, all attendees received bags with The Spice House’s raspberry margarita salt and Pilsen spicy adobo seasoning. Party at my place!
—Kock of the walk: Move over, La Grande Boucherie. There’s a bigger man on the culinary campus.
Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley—the dynamic Dallas-originated comfort food concept that opened in River North in 2021—is moving downtown to a new larger 13,000-square-foot location at 339 N. Dearborn St., just down the street from the 10,000-square-foot Boucherie. Kitchen + Kocktails will be located directly across from the House of Blues Hotel Chicago and nestled beside the iconic Marina City towers, and is slated to open in mid-to-late summer.
This new location will aim to offer a bold take on elevated Southern classics and feature curated craft cocktails. The new Chicago location, led by Executive Chef Michael McLaurin, will spotlight dishes like fried chicken and lobster tails, shrimp and grits, jerk lamb chops and creative waffle interpretations. “We’re excited to bring a new era of comfort food dining to Chicago—one that’s not only elevated, but welcoming to everyone,” said owner Kevin Kelley. “Whether it’s date night, brunch with friends, or a family outing, we want every guest to feel like they’re getting a true taste of Southern hospitality right here in the heart of the Windy City.”
Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley will be open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
—It’s Greek to me: Renowned chef and James Beard Award winner Jimmy Bannos Jr. will soon debut his first solo culinary venture: the Niles restaurant Kouklas Greek Eatery.
Kouklas is a contemporary Greek restaurant celebrating the vibrant flavors and traditions of Greece with a fresh, farm-to-plate approach. Opening summer 2025 at 7620 N. Milwaukee Ave., Kouklas pays homage to Bannos’ Greek heritage. Designed to evoke an unmistakable sense of home, the 9,000 square-foot Kouklas will have 150 seats in the dining room, 18 at the bar and a terrace seating 100.
At the culinary helm of Kouklas is Executive Chef Kevin Stack, a Purple Pig veteran whose meteoric rise in the culinary world speaks to his passion and expertise.
—Keeping Company: On Monday, June 23, Sol Ashbach, Gus Lappas and Ankur Joshi (the team behind acclaimed restaurants Little Bad Wolf and Gretel) are expanding their vision with a new concept: Wolf & Company—a 10,000-square-foot, bi-level hospitality destination at 1752 N. Western Ave. in Bucktown.
Wolf & Company blends a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar, an all-day café, a specialty market with an in-house butcher, and a patio—all under one roof. The ground floor of Wolf & Company is home to a full-service restaurant and bar. Led by Executive Chef Graham Akroyd, the menu will feature a reimagined version of the group’s cult favorite burger (available in single, double, and triple), pizzas and pastas from housemade dough, hot and cold appetizers, vegetable-forward sides, steak and fish. The cocktail menu is crafted by Clare Andrejek, the group’s longtime mixologist, and explores playful textures, savory components, and modern riffs on the classics. Overseeing the bar program is Woody Tauke, a veteran of Chicago’s craft beer and bar scene.
—Tea for two (or more): Summer Tea is returning to LondonHouse Chicago starting Monday, June 16.
Offered daily at 12-3 p.m. in the Bridges Lobby Bar, this indulgent afternoon tea pairs sweeping views of the Chicago River with a curated menu of savory bites, seasonal sweets and rare teas—all crafted by Executive Chef Elizabeth Sweeney and Pastry Chef Thomas Gorczyca. Regarding the food items, they will include crab tostada with guacamole and mango; roasted poblano croqueta with chihuahua cheese and cilantro aioli; and The Strawberry (white chocolate mousse, strawberry confit, and sugar cookie), among other items.
—Shaken, not stirred: The Bar at Moody Tongue, the world’s only Michelin-star brewery, has launched a new weekly event: Martinis & Oysters, available every Wednesday and Thursday—just in time for National Martini Day on June 19.
Guests can enjoy freshly shucked oysters served with mignonette, lemon and hot sauce for $4 each, paired with a rotating menu of inventive and classic martinis priced at $16 each. Specialty martinis offered include the Cucumber Martini, Clementine Martini, Lychee Martini and Espresso Martini, as well as signature serves featuring a sidecar like the Vesper Martini, Dirty Martini and Blue Cheese Olive Martini.
—Hot time in the city: I/O Godfrey is marking the return of warm climes and hot times with its Fifth Annual Godfrey Summer Solstice Garden Party on Friday, June 20, 3 p.m.-sunset.
This FREE rooftop event features a build-your-own botanical spritz bar, aura photography, seasonal tastings and an extended happy hour. Guests can enjoy a fresh featured menu and take home swag bags (for the first 50 attendees).
RSVP here. BTW, upscale garden-party attire is required.
That’s the news for this week. Be sure to come back next week for more tasty treats!
The write stuff: Be sure to read and subscribe to my other Substack—Pop-Eds: My thoughts on pop culture. In my latest column, I discuss Harvey Milk, Southern Baptists,fluid sexuality and much more.