March 04--1. Dig in at a crawfish boil
Frontier chef and New Orleans native Brian Jupiter wants to show you what a Louisiana-style crawfish boil is all about. Join the chef and the Chicago chapter of Who Dat Nation (a group of New Orleans Saints fans) for all-you-can-eat crawfish, potatoes and corn on the cob ($25, plus tax and gratuity; buy tickets here). 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 6 at Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee St., 773-772-4322, www.thefrontierchicago.com.
2. Eat -- and vote -- at Battle of the Balls
Chocolate balls, cheese balls, meatballs: 14 chefs face the challenge of serving up the tastiest orb of food during Chicago's first Battle of the Balls ($60). Chefs can get creative with ingredients -- dessert balls are fair game -- and guests will vote for the top dish after sampling each selection. Participating restaurants include Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Bang Bang Pie Shop and Swift Sons; admission also includes beer, wine and a negroni bar. A portion of the proceeds will benefit culinary education nonprofit The Trotter Project. Noon or 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 6 at Formento's, 925 W. Randolph St., www.battleoftheballschicago.com.
3. Shop a pop-up market filled with local foods
At Bulk Up!, a pop-up market hosted by sustainable food co-op Chicago Market, shop bulk foods from a slew of local farmers and producers. Among the offerings: Coffee beans from Metropolis, meat from Mint Creek Farms and Peep Inc., pancake mix from Lonesome Stone Milling, sauces from River Valley Ranch Kitchen and everything from rolled oats to corn meal to popcorn from Three Sisters Garden. The pop-up is a preview of what Chicago Market will offer at its permanent storefront, opening in early 2017. Admission is free; RSVP (required) here. 2-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 5 at the Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St., www.chicagomarket.coop.
4. Relive the '90s (in a good way) at a Bistro 110 tribute dinner
Before opening Chez Moi in Lincoln Park, chef Dominique Tougne spent 15 years cooking at Bistro 110, a now-closed icon in the Gold Coast. Now, he's resurrecting some of Bistro 110's best dishes on a special menu at Chez Moi. The a la carte menu includes oven-roasted garlic with butter and La Fournette bread, French onion soup, roasted artichoke with brie and Pommery mustard sauce, a whole roasted red snapper and more. March 3-13 at Chez Moi, 2100 N. Halsted St., 773-871-2100, www.chezmoichicago.com.
5. Try Chicago's best mac and cheese
We're dedicating the month of March to all things macaroni and cheese, from the restaurants serving the best in the city to our favorite recipes (pizza mac, anyone?) to wine pairings for the cheesy noodles. Find all of our coverage here, and check back all month for more.
