Monday, 10/14
Organizers of this weekend’s Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert Show at Navy Pier have also organized the inaugural Celebrated Pastry Chefs Council at Storefront Company (1941 W. North Ave., 773-661-2609), starting at 7 p.m. Chefs like Elissa Narow (Perennial Virant), Thomas Raquel (Acadia), and Courtney Joseph (Takashi, Slurping Turtle) will prepare desserts paired with wine and appetizers. UPDATE: This event is now sold out.
Monday 10/14–Friday 10/18
Now that we’re back in the R months, Shaw’s Crab House (21 E. Hubbard St., 312-527-2722 and 1900 E. Higgins Rd., Schaumburg, 847-517-2722) spreads bivalvian bliss with half-price raw cold-water oysters Monday and reduced prices ($7/six) for the rest of the week. Friday sees the Oyster Fest Block Party come to the parking lot at the corner of Rush and Illinois Streets, with oysters, beer, a live performance by Buddy Guy, and the Grand Slurp-Off, where competitors eat oysters without using their hands.
Thursday, 10/17
The Michigan Harbor Country cider-maker (ciderery?) Vander Mill provides pairings for a $75, four-course dinner at Quince at the Homestead (1625 Hinman Ave., Evanston, 847-570-8400). Chef Andy Motto’s menu slants seasonal with dishes such as butternut squash ravioli; pork with pear, honey, and parsnips; and a sweet-potato dessert. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday 10/17–Sunday 10/20
Cibo Racconto (10441 Touhy Ave., Rosemont, 847-699-2020) celebrates National Pasta Day for four days, which is fine, because it’s a made-up holiday anyway. Diners who order a signature pasta dish will also receive a pound of dry pasta and a recipe for rigatoni arrosto.
Friday 10/18
The Florida stone crab season begins Tuesday, which means the first never-frozen claws reach Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House (1024 N. Rush St., 312-640-0999) by dinner service Friday. Customers who purchase a dinner entrée receive one free stone crab claw.
Friday 10/18–Sunday 10/20
The above-foreshadowed Chicago Fine Chocolate & Dessert show takes Navy Pier, with samples and demonstrations from pastry chefs such as Malika Ameen (Aigre Doux) and Alain Roby of All Chocolate Kitchen, who holds Guinness-certified world records for the world’s tallest cooked-sugar building, the world’s tallest chocolate sculpture, and the world’s longest candy cane.