The Holly Jolly Trolley returns to Ravenswood for Small Business Saturday on Nov. 29 at 11 a.m.-5 p.m., transporting shoppers throughout the neighborhood to shop locally for the season.
No tickets are necessary as the trolley stops at businesses such as Dovetail Brewery, Amy’s Candy Bar, Chicago Glass Collective and Urban Pooch.
SPOTLIGHT: This week’s spotlight is all about Tacotlán—a West Side restaurant that has opened a new location inside Time Out Market Chicago, which is in Fulton Market.
Co-owned by father-daughter duo Everardo Macias and Jessica Perjes, Tacotlán was born in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood. At a media event at Time Out Market Chicago, Perjes and her sister Alexandra Macias (who runs the day-to-day operations at the original location) chatted with PR maven Laura Windt Collins about the restaurant’s beginnings and specialties.
And, of course, the event featured cuisine that highlighted the Mexican restaurant’s delightful options. In a family-style setting, guests sampled tortillas, beans, rajas con queso (poblano chile with cheese), chicken, al pastor (pork) and Lalo’s steak (outer skirt steak) in addition to churros from JK Chocolates and cupcakes from Molly’s.
—Star power: The Michelin Guide announced its stars for Chicago on Nov. 18 at a ceremony in Philadelphia—and even though everyone knew that Alinea lost a star, Feld joined the ranks of one-star spots while Filipino spot Kasama now has a two-star rating.
While Smyth is Chicago’s only current three-star restaurant, Ever and Oriole are still hanging with Alinea and newbie Kasama as two-star restaurants. Atelier, Next, Elske, Galit, Indienne, Topolobampo and Boka are just some of the one-star wonders.
In addition, Michelin Bib Gourmands were handed out to restaurants who provide great food at better prices. Mirra, Nadu and Taqueria Chingón were new to a list that included Mott St., Sifr, Virtue, Kie-Gol-Lanee, Daisies, Frontera Grill and Boonie’s, among others.
“We are incredibly honored to retain our MICHELIN Bib Gourmand status,” said Sifr Culinary Director Chef Sahil Sethi in a press release. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our entire team and our commitment to presenting Middle Eastern cuisine through a fresh, modern lens. We’re grateful for the support of our guests and the Chicago community, and we look forward to continuing to push our craft forward.”
—Public service: Chicagoans looking to start the holiday weekend early can head to dog-friendly Cody’s Public House in West Lake View this Black Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Guests can enjoy drink specials during happy hour from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. including $4 Hamm’s tall boys, $6 Wild Turkey Shots, $6 Proper 12 Apple, $10 Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioneds and $10 Espresso Martinis. Cody’s will also feature an $8 Hamm’s and Wild Turkey shot combo available all evening. Also, patrons can enter a raffle to win a Hamm’s bar sign and Butterball turkey.
—Smoke stack: And starting Nov. 28 through the end of the year, Smoke Daddy in Wrigleyville will transform into Smoke Daddy’s Winter Wonderland—a floor-to-ceiling holiday pop-up inspired by a nostalgic 1950s Christmas at home.
The pop-up will feature festive cocktails like the Eggnog Freeze and Chocolate Cherry New Fashioned, along with weekly Wednesday Family Nights (Christmas cookie decorating, Letters to Santa and snowman-making) and Thursday Trivia Nights (with themes of the films Elf, Home Alone, A Christmas Story). Additional events include Après-Ski Day on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; and Santa Brunch on Saturday, Dec. 20, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A full event calendar will be available online.
—Dice, dice, baby: Bally’s announced Levy as its exclusive food and beverage partner for Bally’s Chicago Casino Resort. Levy will oversee the curation, development and operations of all food and beverage experiences within the forthcoming casino/entertainment destination.
In partnership with Bally’s strategic development advisor, Vibrant Development Group, Levy will create the culinary program. This collaboration will showcase a diverse selection of restaurants and bars, spotlighting local favorites and chefs.
—Just messy: So-called “slop bowl” sellers Cava, Chipotle and Sweetgreen all reported similar problems in their recent earnings: Younger customers, particularly those between 25 to 35, are watching their budgets and are skipping the $15 (or $20) warm bowls in favor of bringing bag lunches or fast-food spots with substantial discounts, CNN noted.
For example, Sweetgreen shares have declined 83% this year. It looks like some people are tired of paying $16 every day for a salad.
—News you can use: Also, don’t forget to get much more local news at SAVOR with Andrew.Until next time…