Friday Buffet

By L. Stolpman in Food on Aug 22, 2008 3:00PM

Tuck in for another Friday Buffet.

• Monday - Friday: REGIONS, an American Café, located in the Holiday Inn Merchandise Mart Plaza now offers an unlimited soup and salad bar for you business types. $9.95 includes your beverage, as well. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 350 W. Mart Center Drive - 15th Floor.
• Thursday: Great Lakes Brewer's Dinner. Patrick Conway, co-owner of Great Lakes Brewing Co. in Cleveland leads a tasting and discussion of his brews paired with a six-course menu created by Mark Bires, chef and co-owner of Jerry's Wicker Park. Call for reservations: 773-235-1006. 7 p.m. 1938 W. Division. $48.
• Saturday: Chef Eric Smith will be doing a presentation as part of the Outdoor Cooking Series offered by Citizen Bar. Menu includes Basil Chicken with Prosciutto, Marinated Portobello Mushrooms and Warm Sweet Potato Salad. You get beer, wine, and menu samples. 2 - 4 p.m. Citizen Bar, 364 W Erie. $45.

Upcoming:

• September 3: Chef's Table event at La Madia. Chef/Owner Jonathan Fox will prepare pizza and menu samplings in front of you while you sit at the pizza bar, watching the pizzas bubble in the wood-burning oven. Paired with wines and you can taste some potentially new menu items. September's Chef's Table event will feature Wild Salmon with green beans and salt-roasted almonds, summer chanterelle mushroom ravioli, La Madia's Signature Triple Pepperoni Pizza and more. 7 p.m. 59 W. Grand Ave. $35.
• September 4: Join Room21 and Chef Daniel Tucker for a class on how to grill the perfect piece of fish. Class includes choice of fish (including Tin-foil Trout, Blackened Swordfish and more), side dishes, various seasonings, marinades and crusts and paired wines with each type of fish. Black aprons will be provided as take-home favors for participants. 6 p.m., 2110 S. Wabash. $55.
• September 7: Family-friendly foodie event Night of a Thousand Clean Plates! Eleven teams of chefs will prepare gourmet versions of classic children's dishes. Located at Kohl Children's Museum of Greater Chicago. 6 - 8 p.m. 2100 Patriot Blvd. in Glenview. $75 for adults, $25 for children.
• September 8: Custom House hosts Seedling Farm for a special dinner on September 8, 2008 benefiting Slow Food, an international organization dedicated to counteracting fast food and fast life and the disappearance of local food traditions. Chef de Cuisine Richard Camarota and Pastry Chef Elissa Narow will prepare a special four-course prix-fixe menu highlighting Seedling Farm's locally grown fruits and Wine Director Sue Kim-Drohomerecky will pair the menu with wines. Reservations are required and may be made by calling Custom House at (312) 523-0200. 500 S. Dearborn. $50.

Photo by L. Stolpman