Where to go for birthday dinner in Chicago: A Twitter Round-up!

Posted by Tammy at 7:00 am

Aug 202010

Enjoy a slice of birthday cake!

Where do you go to celebrate a birthday in Chicago? We asked the fine folks on Twitter and got a enough responses to celebrate the next forty+ years. Apparently one of these spots is where I’ll be celebrating this weekend, but Bridget won’t tell me which until I guess or it’s time to meet friends for the meal. She assures me it’s not Hooters.

@Dee_Fabulous The Publican or Big Star lately. Also Carnivale.
@foodcreate Ha easy @Rickbayless Yum!
@Sixdrumin1 Mortons or Wildfire
@geg5150 Bon Soiree!
@sparklefade3 I’m turning 30 in November and planning to go to L20!
@dreaalvarez Cafe ba ba reeba (know it’s not just chi but…)
@Mr_Rodgers Trump Terrace
@ATasteGiven I’ve celebrated my birthday at Balsan, Piccolo Sogno, Mirai, Gilt (great large tables), Coast
@HungryInChicago I went to @ChefArtSmith’s Table 52. It was a real b-day treat
@knottheoretic C-House, The Bristol (@JohnTheBristol ) and @KithandKinChi
@britgeek @LuxBarChicago, was there this weekend for a birthday.
@ginnygetsfloury Mixteco
@rossiegirl I love Mercat a la Planxa, Japonais, and Aja.
@MichSox Cafe Iberico, J Alexanders or Hooters (I know, lol)
@myrarubin This year was @lecolonialchi @GiltBar and @ShanghaiTerrace Love Birthdays!!!
@storck718 @MercatChicago for the whole suckling pig!
@Hurdler4eva For my bday it would be amazing to go to Alinea, but I’d also enjoy Perennial, Sprout, Green Zebra, Chalkboard or Nomi.
@RestaurantRadio For a Birthday w/a group, Cafe Iberico is tough to beat…really festive, not too quiet & great food for everybody to share!
@bifrojm Sepia
@lulububbly Bistro Campagne…on the patio!
@MissAleksandraG Cafe Matou.
@ScrumptPantry If it were my birthday, I would take myself to Blackbird.
@tageborkoff Sepia or Graham Elliot
@senecadj I would love to go to Alinea to celebrate my 30th this year
@FrankChow Blue 13, was my choice this year. It literally rocked.
@SentimentalMood Joes Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab
@staceyandeen Do I have all the money in the world? Because I’d go to Alinea. Or back to Schwa or Tru.
@LWatkins84 Naha!
@darth_quizlar BIg Star in Wicker, Damen Blue stop
@DrRenee I would pick @WildfireRest
@marcafterdark We did @piccolosogno last Friday in the garden and the b-day girl didn’t want to leave.
@Ngott Tiny Lounge, Le Bouchon, for b-day dinners and celebrations
@denas Shaws or Devon Grill — salmon, a fish for all seasons.
@scs000 Celebrated mine last night at Everest. Delicious!
@carolinehoenk My vote for places to celebrate b-days are MK, Pelago, Ria, Epic, Gilt Bar, Sola…
@tom_skallas Just celebrated mine at Mercat last Friday.
@BrittanyAynne Girl and the Goat or Uncommon Ground!
@mnichols79 Bandera, Riva, Sunda.
@jenglutenfree Shaws Crab House for their gluten free sushi menu and oysters
@ABrandenburger Table 52
@MPsyko26 I would definitely celebrate my birthday at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! Loooove the sangria there!
@basblfan I would go to Mercadito for tacos and margaritas!
@LTStrum Blackbird…yes, definitely Blackbird
@WFMEvanstonS I always loved doing bday dinners at Cozy Noodles in W’ville, they are so nice and will serve a bday cake with candles!

If you’ve got a dining-related question for Twitter, leave us a comment or send us a Tweet!

Wine Bar Twitter Round-up

Posted by Tammy at 7:00 am

Aug 062010

A flight of white wine.

@Dee_Fabulous asked us for a Chicago restaurant that offers wine flights. She’s tried Bin 36 and Tasting Room, and wanted something different. Of course, we asked our Twitter followers for recommendations:

@ScrumptPantry The In Fine Spirit Lounge
@EmKDee Tapas Valencia
@alari31 DOC on Clark/Wrightwood; Websters
@knottheoretic Too many to list: DOC Wine Bar, Webster’s Wine Bar, In Fine Spirits, Drinks over Dearborn, 404 Wine Bar, Volo
@MKinChiTown I think Volo does.
@bifrojm Webster Wine Bar!
@arolinehoenk Love the wine flights at Eno (Intercontinental Hotel) but they just serve cheese and chocolate…
@Beemerrgirl Have u tried @volowinebar on roscoe. Great wines and food

Have a question for a Twitter community? Send us a message!

Gin Mixology - Twitter Round-up

Posted by Tammy at 10:00 am

Jun 172010

Ready and willing to mix drinks.

When New Amsterdam Gin sent out a call to a group of local bloggers and media to enter a mixology contest, I got excited. I like playing mad scientist in my kitchen and testing different recipes on friends. However, my knowledge of gin was pretty weak, so I turned to Twitter for help with drink ideas. I have to say, ya’ll really like your gin and have some serious brand loyalty:

@aschie30 Songbird, Negroni, Southside and a good ol’ G&T, off the top of my head
@joejanas Two parts Plymouth, 1 part Farigoule, stirred, served up with sprig of thyme.
@geg5150 Rangpur Gin with TJ’s Sparkling Limeade and muddled blackberries. Divine & Dangerous!
@geg5150 I love a G&T with a splash of St. Germaine.
@tineross Try Hendricks, Elderflower liq, soda H2o
@marzlet Hendricks Gin + Tonic + slice of cucumber = the drink that converted me last summer at a rooftop party!

Fruit, spices and sweetners for making the perfect drink.

@GourmetRambler Ooooh. Make Aviations! Yum! Oh, also a HUM negroni is delicious!
@eatitdrinkit Hendricks with cucumber. If you have time to let cucumber macerate, bonus. Otherwise muddle cuke, add gin, maybe bit of soda.
@GourmetRambler I like Tom Collins. But it depends on gin. What gin are you looking to use?
@JeffreyWWard Might sound crazy but Plymouth on the rocks with a splash of St. Germain
@Chicago_Reader Martini, gin & tonic for simplicity; gin fizz for something more complicated
@biancakasurinen Lime Ricky

Like all good contests, there were a few rules: no other distilled beverage, must use the available ingredients, and you have to do it all in 10 minutes. It was a little bit of pressure, but a lot of fun. If you have the utensils and the space this has the makings of a great summer party.

For the curious, my own mixology efforts yielded a gin & tonic with muddled blueberries, a dash of honey and a glass rimmed with lavender sugar. They wanted a Chicago name for our drink creations so I brazenly called mine “One Gin Goal Achieved” because blueberries reminded me of hockey pucks and I can’t quite let go of the Blackhawks buzz. It may take several drinks for that to happen.

I didn’t win, BTW, so you should probably stick with the Twitter wisdom accumulated on this page or read through New Amsterdam’s recipes if you’re serious about creating a gin cocktail. Thanks to everyone who provided inspiration!