Eat and drink pink

You don't have to strap on a fancy three-piece or have a wallet brimming with Benjamins to do a good deed. At least not when these local bars and restaurants are offering such charitable deals, all in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Martini Park: American Cancer Society
Martini Park's homespun cotton candy makes it easy to donate. The sticky-sweet treat might look like your average carny fluff, but this sugary pink concoction is a far cry from what you'd find at a festival booth. A portion of each cotton candy sale will benefit the American Cancer Society. The American Cancer Society will also be hosting its five-mile "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" walk at Lawrence and the Lakefront on October 19, festivities begin at 8:30 a.m.

sola: Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation
All October long, guests dining at Sola will have the option of tacking on one dollar (or more) to their bill; the extra cash will benefit the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation. Chef Carol Wallack's seasonal menu highlights Asian pears-which are high in fiber and natural vitamins-this month, so you'll be benefiting your own health while you're at it.

More Cupcakes: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation
Patty Rothman of MORE has enough couture cupcakes to always be in vogue, but that doesn't stop her from making, well, more. In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, Rothman and her crew will be serving a limited "Hope MORE" cupcake with a white velvet base, topped with pink buttercream frosting and pink white chocolate curls. A portion of the "Hope MORE" cupcake sales will benefit the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation, the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.

Blue Water Grill: Bright Pink
Blue Water Grill is whipping up a sparkling pink grapefruit parfait this month. The layered dessert starts with a bottom of champagne gelee with suspended grapes, following that is a layer of sugar-tossed grapefruit segments. Next comes champagne foam with a quenelle of grapefruit sorbet. It all gets finished with a heaping of confetti (read: candied grapefruit peel). The parfait costs $10 and 75 percent of that will be donated to Bright Pink, a resource for young women who are at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

Nuts on Clark (Water Tower Place): Network of Strength of Illinois
Stop in Nuts on Clark and grab a bag of the shop's specialty Poppin' Pink Kettlecorn. A portion of sales from the pink chocolate-coated treat will benefit the Network of Strength of Illinois. The promotion runs through October 31.

David Burke's Primehouse: Bright Pink
This Near North Side restaurant will be offering its signature cake-in-a-can with a pink twist. The pink velvet pastry is baked to order and served in a tin alongside a jar of cream cheese frosting and chocolate-covered beaters. The dessert is $24 and serves 4 to 6 guests, $5 from every cake-in-a-can purchase will benefit Bright Pink.

This article was first published on Centerstage
Photo courtesy of Shakir Akbari.

One of everything, please: Miniature desserts at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba

I like tapas for a reason. And it's not the eclectic range of Spanish-inspired fare that reels me. Nor is it the span of spices, meats and artisan cheeses that I know I can always count on at a decent tapas joint.

What pulls me to these sharing-friendly spots is the scaled-down portions; when I eat tapas, I know that I can single-handedly down two or three platefuls of food and not have to undo the top button. The small serving size allows me to revel in a little bit of everything, which is especially great given my indecisive nature. There's just no room for entree envy when everything is made for sharing.

My tapas-love grew tenfold after dessert at Lincoln Park's Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. The restaurant's menu ranges in fruity choices like blueberry goat cheese flan, cherry bread pudding and mango sorbet, to more decadent selections like truffle chocolate cake, butterscotch custard cream and a caramel marcona almond tart, $2.75 each.

Never has it been an easy feat choosing from a trailing list of sugar-shackled treats. Typically I'm that girl standing in front of the pastry case with her mouth all agape and brows scrunched in utter disappointment that she can't order one of everything. But at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, I can pick as many bite-sized sweets as I like (the list tops out at 9) without a wince of sweet-tooth shame.

This article was first published on Examiner.com. 

Photo courtesy of brady frequent traveler and eater. 

Chicago barista gets crafty in the kitchen

"Homemade banana-nut bread, just $3 a slice," barista Heidi Houchen announced as she carried out a baking pan, straight from Cafe Avanti's oven. The buttery aroma was enough allure in itself, but I knew I'd be safe from the gluten-heavy temptation, so long as I didn't get a good look (out of sight, out of mind-- right?).

And then Houchen walked over with a fork, "would you like to try some homemade banana-nut bread?" she asked, "we've got a little slice up at the counter." her killer smile was a bit more than I could take. And because it's about as hard for me to resist the persuasion of a pretty girl, as it is to say no to a well-made pastry, I nodded and took the fork. With a guilt-ridden gut, I made my way toward the best banana-nut bread I've had since living back home, where my own mother used to bake her own from-scratch-recipe in old coffee canisters.

A few bites, I asked Houchen about the bread and she informed me that the sweet treat has some serious family history. She went on to talk about growing up on a dairy farm in Iowa, where her mornings were spent churning butter and milking cows. "The banana-nut bread is an old Johanningmeier (Houchen's maiden name) favorite," she said. "When I called my mom for the recipe this morning, she was actually out milking the calves."

I made sure to let Houchen know that she'd foiled my gluten-free diet, to which she later replied, "you sure you don't want some more?"

This article was first published on Examiner.com

Prix-Fixe for Penny Pinchers

The often-mispronounced prix-fixe concept is popular for a reason: You get to taste several items on upscale menus teeming with appealing choices, and you leave feeling just right, thanks to the scaled-down portions. That is, if you can afford it. Many prix-fixe menus can run well over $100, leaving the average diner out of luck. Fortunately, some neighborhood spots have found a way to keep it cheap; these restaurants offer multi-course meals for under $35.

May Street Market
This tucked-away restaurant in West Town offers a full three-course meal every single night of the week for just $32. May Street Market's menu changes seasonally to reflect the freshest ingredients. Currently the fixed menu boasts plenty of fresh, summery foods like Sangria Summer Salad with peaches, berries and oranges. You can choose from three entrees including the Yukon Gold potato gnocchi, grilled organic pork chop or glazed Maine salmon. The most difficult part might be deciding between desserts. The strawberry shortcake with chantilly cream is a refreshing summer treat, but the Market's flight of cupcakes, including chocolate with peanut butter icing, lavender vanilla with Earl Grey icing and carrot with orange ginger icing is just too good to pass up.

La Donna
At $19.95, this just might be the cheapest three-course meal in the city. Every Wednesday night, La Donna gives its guests a chance to pick three items (appetizer, entree and dessert) straight from its regular menu. This is no easy task when the restaurant offers an entire book of traditional Italian fare. If you're not sure where to start, try the gorgonzola-stuffed mushrooms or opt for a classic caprese salad. Once you've whetted your appetite, it's time to move on to La Donna's rustic pasta dishes. Risotto is one of the more popular dishes here and La Donna offers three different takes on the stuff. We recommend the Risotto Della Donna with butternut squash, goat cheese and fresh sage (regular price, $18.95). Other essential entrees include breaded-pork chops, veal medallions and tilapia filets.

Deleece
A longtime favorite with Lakeview locals, Deleece serves its loyal patrons a steal of a meal every Monday and Tuesday night. For just $20 you get a full three-course dinner, complete with options. The restaurant provides a little something for every palate with its selection of meat, fish and veggie dishes. Past entrees have highlighted grilled salmon with avocado and jasmine rice, basil-ginger chicken with goat cheese and stuffed peppers with sweet corn, chihuahua cheese and refried beans. Deleece's sister restaurant, Shochu, also offers a prix-fixe deal on Wednesdays and Sundays for the same price. Meals to look forward to at this Japanese-inspired restaurant include teriyaki chicken with asparagus and jasmine rice and New York steak with fingerling potatoes.

Marche
Leave it to the French to do prix-fixe right. This classic brasserie can make the worst Monday better with its three-course special. For $28.95 you get full reign of Marche's regular dinner menu. The meal includes any appetizer or salad, one entree and a dessert. The special is also available Wednesday evenings. In addition to its twice-per-week dinner deal, Marche offers a fixed lunch all week long for $18.95.

Lula Cafe
Lula's idea of a good meal is one that comes straight from the farm. Stop in to this Logan Square spot on a Monday night when the restaurant cooks up a three-course, farm-inspired meal. The fixed menu is $28 per person and includes the standard appetizer, entree and dessert. Because Lula's menu changes so frequently, you never know what you're going to get. Past prix-fixe menus have included marinated cucumbers and chioggia beets in red wine vinaigrette, lamb meatballs with borlotti beans and eggplant-pepper caponata. Desserts have been just as seasonally sweet with treats like the blackberry linzer torte, prepared with candied walnuts and ice cream. Entrees from the restaurant's regular menu range from $16 to $25.

sola
Chef of Sola, Carol Wallack, likes to get crafty with her prix-fixe dishes. Every month Wallack highlights a new ingredient by incorporating it into each course on her $30 menu. Currently, she's crazy about peaches and she's serving them up in a baby arugula salad and a blueberry and peach tart. Wallack is always looking for innovative ways to use new ingredients. If you let her know your favorite, you just might see it featured on one of her upcoming menus. Sola's prix-fixe special is available Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

This article first appeared on Centerstage.

Bleeding Heart Bakery: DIY cupcakes

Last month I mentioned Bleeding Heart Bakery teacakes at Cafe Avanti and how ridiculously delicious they were. I still haven't had a chance to make it over to Bleeding Heart, but I did get to try one of its vegan cupcakes on Friday night when the punk minded pastry crew partnered up with GOOD Magazine for an event at Salvage One.

Housed within Salvage One's dimly lit, lofty space were plenty of local vendors selling samples of their decidedly green products. A number of them had great things to offer, like the cashew spread and caraway crackers from The Balanced Kitchen and organic juices from Crust. But none could compete with Bleeding Heart's DIY cupcake station. The bakery brought in over 200 of the things and charged guests $2 to decorate their own.

Toppings included vanilla or chocolate (both vegan safe) frosting, homemade marshmallows, carob chips, chocolate-chip cookie crumbs and sprinkles. I grabbed a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting and gave it a few hearty spoonfuls of cookie crumbs and carob chips. It was easily one of the best cupcakes I've tried in a while, I even entertained the idea of giving up meat. Thankfully I came back to my senses once my plate was empty.

This article was first published on Examiner.com.

Early bird specials in Chicago

Even though I've been out of school for a year, I still can't break the ridiculous sleeping schedule I developed during those credit-heavy semesters. The midterms and 15-page research papers that once kept me up all night have been replaced by writing projects and deadlines. What's worse is being jolted by my internal alarm clock around 5 a.m. each day. Fed up with the fact that most coffee shops don't even open until 7 or 8 a.m., I scoured a few spots where I would, at the very least, be guaranteed a hot cup of Joe and a cheap plate of food. Here's what I found.

Golden House Restaurant & Pancake House
It's the kind of place you picture Tom Waits kickin' back with a lukewarm coffee and a cigarette. But this couldn't have been the joint Waits had in mind when he penned "Nighthawks at the Diner," as Golden House closes well before the sun goes down. Had he been an early bird though, Waits probably would've ordered up the restaurant's famous Four Deuces breakfast special. The dish includes two servings of a Midwesterner's morning favorites: pancakes, eggs, bacon and sausage, $4.95. Golden House also offers an early morning special for non-meat eaters with its signature potato pancakes served with your choice of applesauce or sour cream, $3.95.

Broadway Grill
This corner joint in Uptown serves breakfast all day and night, but stop in before 11 a.m. and you'll get the real deal. The specials here come in two's or three's, depending on your appetite. When you've got a bottomless pit, opt for the magic number: three eggs, three sausages, three strips of bacon and three fluffy pancakes, $5.95. For a dollar and a hunger pang less, you can get all of the above in sets of two.

Holiday Grill & Bar
It takes a true meat-and-potatoes lover to start the day with a grilled pork chop. Add eggs, toast and hashbrowns into the mix and you may find yourself curled back up in bed, sleeping off a food coma. But it's hard not to take advantage of the dish when it doesn't cost you a dime over $7. If you want to keep it a little cheaper and a little less meaty, go for the Three Deuces: pancakes, eggs and your choice of bacon or sausage. Breakfast specials run Monday through Saturday starting at 6 a.m. Additionally, Holiday Grill & Bar offers free wi-fi and a sidewalk cafe during the warmer months.

Steak 'n' Egger
This is another salute to the early morning meat-lovin' crowd. Steak 'n Egger's big breakfast special is none other than the restaurant's signature ribeye steak with three eggs, crispy hashbrowns and toast, $6.75. The restaurant is open 24 hours.

Sunshine Restaurant
My only regret with Sunshine Restaurant is not learning about it sooner. To think of how many nail-biting, foot-tapping aggravating times I've had waited for nearby breakfast joints to open their padlocked doors, when I could've already been slingin' back the black stuff and munching on French toast. Starting at 5 a.m., the local diner offers six hearty breakfast specials, all under $5. Sunshine also understands how hard life can be before that first cup of coffee; that's why the diner's itemized list of specials makes your morning hassle-free. Simply point to one of the numbers one through six and voila! Instant (well, almost) gratification. Specials include cereal, French toast, pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage.

Golden Nugget (Lincoln Park)
This one reminds me of an all-night diner I used to frequent back home. I'd bring along a stack of books and drown myself in bottomless cups of black coffee until the caffeine completely lost its effect. The 24-hour Golden Nugget on North Clark Street offers a similar luxury, but it also has something my old hangout didn't: three cheap (and strangely named) breakfast specials. But you have to get here between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. to take full advantage of the Bonanza (two pancakes), the Champ (waffles) or the Chef (French toast). Each special is $5.99 and comes with two eggs (any style) and your choice of bacon or sausage.

This article first appeared on Centerstagechicago.com.

Chicago's best beans

Ask any local where to find Chicago’s best cup of coffee and, by default, they’ll point you toward the nearest Intelligentsia. Ask this over-caffeinated redhead and she’ll lead you straight to to the good stuff at Metropolis in Rogers Park. She’ll probably even tag along just to see the sheer joy on your face as you sip the roaster’s freshly roasted and brewed Mocha Java. Unlike Intelligentsia, Metropolis doesn’t have a string of its own shops throughout the city, but it does ship to and stock a number of north side spots. Check out these quirky cafes where the baristas are brewin’ it right.

Dollop Coffee Co. in Buena Park
Pair your cup o’ Joe with a carrot cupcake at this study hot-spot.

Flourish Bakery Cafe in Historic Bryn Mawr
This 1950’s diner is too cute for its own good– and the pastries here are too tempting for your own good.

M. Henry in Edgewater
Brioche French toast. Need I say more?

Sweet Collective in Lincoln Square
Three powerful pastry ladies run this north side shop.

This article first appeared on The Whole 9.