End of the line: Teatro ZinZanni announced that its current Chicago show will conclude on Jan. 31.
Teatro ZinZanni is currently exploring all possibilities for both the future of the venue and the show. ZinZanni’s antique Spiegeltent was built on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel in downtown Chicago in 2019.
Tickets to the final performances are available here or by calling 312-488-0900.
And now on to culinary items…
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RESTAURANT PICK: Jeannie Tanner is one busy lady. She is a singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist. She writes music for TV and film projects, and performs all over the Chicagoland area. However, she was more than willing to tell me what one of her favorite local restaurants is.
Tanner stated, “One of my favorite restaurants in Chicago is Ina Mae Tavern. It’s New Orleans-style cuisine located in Wicker Park. I LOVE the beignets, which can rival those of Cafe du Monde. And the shrimp po boys—OMG! Along with the delicious food, the drinks are A-mazing. They make a killer French martini. Parking can be tricky in that neighborhood, but well worth circling the block a few times. I highly recommend this eatery. It’s a little bit of N’awlins right here in Chi-town.”
For more information about her original music and upcoming shows, visit https://www.jeannietanner.com/.
—Sounding the Alarm: Alarmist Brewing & Taproom, 4055 W. Peterson Ave., announced that Sunday, Feb. 1, is its last day in business.
“For almost a decade, we’ve loved being part (of) Chicago’s craft beer community. We made so many new friends and we’re going to miss all of you terribly,” the business stated. A final party will be held Jan. 31.
—Southern hospitality: Acclaimed queer pitmaster and South Side icon Chef Dominique Leach of Lexington Betty Smokehouse, in Chicago’s historic Pullman neighborhood, is launching a new culinary collaboration project: the “South Side + Friends” Guest Chef Series. The series will take place inside the intimate, loft-style House of Gaz in Bridgeport, at 3265 S. Archer Ave.
The series will kick off with James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co. (on Jan. 31), Maya-Camille Broussard of Justice of the Pies (on Feb. 25) and Kendra Anderson of Caviar Dream Co. (on March 28). Tickets are $130 each.
Reservations are nowopen at chicagorestaurantweek.com.
—Teamwork makes the dream work: The Museum of Contemporary Art and Marisol are continuing the Chef Collaboration Series (that started in 2023) with Chef Ethan Eang Lim of the restaurant Hermosa.
For the collaboration at Marisol, Lim will serve a Hermosa holiday stew made of pork belly, butterball potato, gai lan, shiitake and 48-hour chicken stock. Guests can order the stew until Feb. 28 for $24 during both lunch and dinner service at Marisol. Museum admission is not required to eat at Marisol, and parking validation is available.
—Being selective: Bonyeon—Chicago’s first steak omakase and a sister concept of MICHELIN-recognized Omakase Yume and TenGoku Aburiya—is bringing back its popular Omakase Select experience, available Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from Jan. 25 through Feb. 8.
For just $70 (compared to its usual tasting menu priced at $255), guests are invited to experience an abbreviated four-course tasting menu that showcases Bonyeon’s interpretation of Korean steakhouse cuisine, presented at the intimate 12-seat chef’s counter. Among the dishes are yukhoe finished with rhubarb, smoked egg yolk and toasted sesame; Bonyeon’s signaturebone marrow miso–glazed tenderloin, paired with mushrooms and hearts of palm; budae jjigae stew enriched with enoki mushrooms and Akahoshi ramen noodles; and a seasonal dessert. RSVP here.
—”Night” moves: The Abbey Resort on Geneva Lake is hosting a rare culinary event.
On Jan. 31, celebrity chef Fabio Viviani will join The Abbey’s Executive Chef Noah Gümüstekin for An Italian Winter’s Night at The Abbey—a James Beard Foundation benefit dinner featuring a collaborative four-course menu, wine pairings and a Sunday Champagne brunch. Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by a seated dinner at 7 p.m.; the experience continues Sunday, Feb. 1, with a VIP brunch at 10 a.m.
The dinner is $200 while the brunch is $80 (both inclusive of tax and tip). Guests may elevate their experience with a special overnight package starting at $729 for two that includes tickets for two to both of the culinary events. Reservations for the dinner and VIP brunch are available through the event landing page linked HERE or HERE with ticketing managed via Xola.
—To the Max: On Feb. 5-6, Atsumeru will host a special two-night collaboration dinner with Chef Max Boonthanakit of the Michelin-starred LA restaurant Camphor.
This exclusive event brings together the Nordic-Japanese flavors of Atsumeru’s Chef Devin Denzer and the French-Indian inspired artistry of Boonthanakit. Guests will experience a unique multi-course menu that blends the signatures of both award-winning kitchens. Seatings are at 5 and 7 p.m.; admission is $195 per person, with an optional $65 N/A pairing. Seats are now available viaOpenTable.
The write stuff: Be sure to read and subscribe to my other Substack—Pop-Eds: My thoughts on pop culture. (Like SAVOR, it’s less than $5/month to access everything.) Columns have discussed Charlie Kirk, cheating, Brigitte Bardot’s controversial legacy, dogs in restaurants, ‘70s detective shows and vaccines, among many other topics.
Think warm thoughts!
Until next time….