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May 2007, Issue 36 | |
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Sheffield's
Beer and Wine Garden |
Raven's |
Silver
Cloud |
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| Yes, it’s open! Finally! At Sheffield’s Backroom BBQ, the smoker’s are smokin’, the brisket is basting and the picnic tables in the garden are groaning under sundry succulent slabs of ribs. Well, actually, as of this writing the kitchen’s not really technically open, but by the time you’ll be reading this it will be. I swear. Just one inspection left to go. It’s been an interesting ride. The kitchen build-out was finished in beautiful detail and with remarkable efficiency by the talented team at Charles Bender and Associates, aka Ben Neuburg and his crack team. If there’s ever been a commercial kitchen build-out in your past you know how frustrating the usual contractor combat can be. So if there’s another in your future (kitchen, that is) you’d be well advised to give Ben and the boys a call (847-564-1808). A project done on time and on budget; now there’s a unique restaurant experience. Thanks, Ben. The BBQ we’ve
been sampling so far has been pretty darn good, if we do say so, but don’t
take our word for it; get over here and give the menu a spin. Now the
addition of the kitchen is sure to provide us here at Sheffield’s
with some unique challenges. So we hope that you’ll bear with us
through our growing pains and let us know what we’re doing right
and, more importantly, where we can improve. We hope you won’t ever
walk away if things were less than perfect, but if you’d rather
leave your observations anonymously, just drop an And, another new wrinkle in the Sheffield’s game plan is the addition of valet parking for those congested weekends when an empty space is as rare as a victory at Wrigley Field. Exact hours are yet to be determined, but know that if your stomach’s rumbling, at least you won’t have to endlessly circle the block before you can tie the feedbag on. Yes, for those of you who picked up that last reference, one organization that’s still experiencing problems is the Cubs; only a few weeks in and we’re mired firmly at the bottom of the National League Central, our record a mirror opposite of the league leading 13-8 Brewers. You’d think that after a hundred years they could figure things out, but Lou and the boys are still getting acquainted, Wood and Zambrano are struggling and Prior’s already out for the season. We love the Cubs, it’s true, but sometimes we all just have to get on with our lives and take what we can from this brief season of sun in Chicago. Which reminds us that it’s May and that means the best of the summer is still to come. It’s too early to throw in the towel on the Cubbies, and regardless of what happens down at the Friendly Confines, Sheffield’s beer garden is always a home run. Pair a seat under the cottonwood with a burger and your favorite beer and you can be sure that the Northside’s fielding at least one winning team. |
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Spring is Here!!! Warm weather is right around the corner and warmer weather after that which means Ravens beer garden is open! We have a great start to spring at Ravens and this will continue into April. Warsteiner is Beer of the Month for April and each and every pint is Just $3. Please join us on the patio or sit inside and root for the CUBS. We will be open every night until 4am for all your libation needs (5am Saturdays). Beer garden is always available for private functions. Hope
to see you soon! |
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The philosopher Aristotle once said, "Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own." Except in some cases, like this poor kid that I went to high school with who inherited his father's chin - there was no mistaking whose boy he was. That thing stuck out so far it had its own zip code. Coincidentally, whether because of the unfortunate genetic link or the usual generational angst, the kid's dad was none too fond of him, regardless of the certainty of his lineage; but then come to think of it, no one else was either. However, I digress. Dad will have his day - in June - for right now we're talking about Mom, and what better way to celebrate her special day than with toast. Yes, toast. Not toast as in your usual stultifying speech made over a banquet table, or a drunken rambling while propped against a soggy bar; Mom deserves better than that. No, we mean toast as in French Toast, and this Mother's Day we're serving up three different versions of that sweet treat that the Mom in your life will love. And spring for a glass of champagne while you're at it. After all these years, a bang-up Sunday brunch is the least you can do. Of course, Mother’s Day is the thirteenth this May, and we’ve skipped right past the first of the month’s significant celebrations. If you don’t know what day Cinco de Mayo falls on, you’ve never spent time working with a Chicago kitchen staff, but if you do manage to cipher it out, the Silver Cloud is the place to be. We’ll be serving buckets of Corona and Pitchers of Margarita’s all day long for just 150 pesos – that’s fifteen bucks to you (depending on the current rate of exchange). What Margaritas and beer have to do with Mexico’s nineteenth century war of independence against France is anyone’s guess, but we’re not about to pass up on a fiesta. Continuing our program of supporting the Chicago music scene, we’re hosting a release party for the new Wilco album, Sky Blue Sky. Jeff Tweedy and company have been a fixture on the Windy City indie circuit since the days of Uncle Tupelo and the Silver Cloud is proud to lend a small helping hand in making sure this new CD gets the attention it deserves. And for those of you on a struggling rocker’s budget, we’ll have $2 beers and free C.D.’s all night long. If by some chance you’ve been locked in a Catholic day school for the last twenty years and don’t know about this most excellent band, check out http://wilcoworld.net/, party on, Garth. Skipping ahead to Memorial Day, we’ll be open all weekend and extending our infamous brunch service to Monday as well. And since Monday is also National Burger Day, the crack Cloud culinary cohorts have composed a collection of five, count ‘em five, special burgers. Truck over a team of trenchermen and try them all. That’s it for May; we’ve run out of space as well as alliterative aspiration so we’ll check back in June. WilCo, over and out. |
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