I just launched my Brunch in a Box concept at David Burkes Primehouse, the follow up to American Dim Sum Brunch.  Every week I offer a menu of collections in a bento box, for example the hangover box which contains mini burgers with french fries, mac n cheese with crispy bacon and a monte cristo made with house cured proscuitto & rockstar sunglasses!    Yep the perfect cure for the hangover, some weeks I think I should just call this breakfast haha!  I love to try many different things in a meal so this a fun way to taste the menu and enjoy multiple flavors.  If you are truly a dare devil, try the mystery box, this is where we really get to have fun as chefs!  Don’t let the steakhouse fool you, we are always cooking something cool in the kitchen!  Here is a copy of the Brunch in a Box menu. 

Brunch Boxes

Griddled                                                 15

Cinnamon raisin french toast…maple syrup

Buttermilk pancakes…blueberries

Crepe…stewed fruit

Breakfast Sausage

Eggs                                                        17

Benedict…spicy ham, hollandaise

Lobster Scrambled…crème fraiche, caviar

Peppers & Eggs… kobe paprika sausage, brioche

Bacon Biscuit

Little Bull                                                21                                                       

207L Beef Tips…arugula, blue cheese, tomato vinaigrette

Grilled Steak…mushrooms, onions & whipped potato

Shortrib Dumplings…horseradish, cheddar cheese, bbq sauce

Tempura Green Beans

Big Bull                                                   42

Petite Filet…garlic spinach

Petite Kansas City Sirloin… asparagus

Delmonico…basil whipped potatoes

Petite Mixed Green

Hangover                                                16

Mini Burkers….spicy mayo, french fries

Mac N’ Cheese…chopped bacon

Monte Cristo…proscuitto, gruyere, tomato tapanade

Shells                                                      21

Pretzel Crusted Crabcake…poppy seed honey

Angry Shrimp…basil, lemon, chili

Scallops…lobster fried rice, miso glaze

Oysters

Mystery Box                                          priced daily

let go & let Chef Rick treat you to a culinary surprise

Perfectly roasted after being cut lenthwise instead of the “rabbit hole” version  served most often.  Paired with a slow roasted head of garlic, toasted baguette and homemade cherry mostarda made from seedlings farm cherries.  The first few were a snack for us in the kitchen and then we decided to share with our guests at David Burkes Primehouse, boy are they happy that we did!

I’ve never offered a baked potato at David Burkes Primehouse because we are not the normal steakhouse, we use a modern approach and honestly who really enjoys a potato thats been baked off earlier in service and sitting in a warming drawer for hours like most restaurants serve.  The skin is never crisp, its more steamed and it never has the delicious seasoned crust it should like when you bake one fresh.  That just isn’t the type of quality I expect to serve in the restaurant and it is nearly impossible to pull off on a regualr basis, so I had to rethink the baked potato and came up with the loaded baked potato waffle.  Its a waffle that is made out of baked potatoes, topped with crispy bacon, melted cheddar cheese, scallions and whipped creme fraiche and finished at the table with a drizzle of  butter syrup.

Dinner starts at 7:30 in David Burkes Primehouse

4 course meal/reception costs $55 per person plus tax and gratuity

Purchase  8 courses (2 separate dinners) for $95

or

Purchase all 16 courses (all 4 seperate dinners) $175

cal 312-660-6000 for reservations

Chef Ricks Homebrew Dinner

October 4, 2009

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Belgian Blond…snow white head, gold color, spice, malt hops & orange essence

Stoned Wheat…seedling farm peach infused wheat beer, zesty aroma 

Dinner

Beet Cured Sturgeon

grilled brioche, butter whipped brie & spiced bacon mustard

Working Man Champagne…whipped cream head, golden body, toasted bread aroma, malt, fruits & spicy hops

Shrimp & Chorizo Cake

charred corn & roasted sweet pepper vinaigrette

I-PAC (India Pale Ale With Chamomile)…malt, toffee, caramel apples and floral hops that finish with chamomile

40 Day Dry Aged Slow Roasted Prime Rib

caramelized onion gratin & grilled lobster mushrooms

2 Wood Ale…reddish brown color, sweet aroma, caramel, toasted malt & velvety mouth feel,

started with birch syrup &  finished with african mahogany

Sticky Toffee Pudding

chicory creme brulee & chocolate coffee caramel

 Mr. Peabody Porter…rich, full bodied, bittersweet, chocolate & coffee

Two Brothers Brewing Beer Dinner

October 5, 2009 

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Cane and Ebel…unique red rye beer, full of hop flavor and aroma. 70 pounds of Thai palm sugar is added to each batch which attributes a vanilla-like flavor. A new hop variety call Summit is really showcased in this beer.

Dinner

Seafood Trio

Lump Crab Cake… roasted jalepeno relish

Fried Oysters… homemade pancetta vinaigrette

Chilled Lobster Taco… grilled onions, watercress, lemon crema

Ebel’s Weiss…traditional German Hefeweizen that is naturally unfiltered. It has wonderful malt sweetness and a soft aroma of clove, vanilla, and banana

Blackened Benton Bacon Raviolis

roasted pumpkin, toasted almonds & tuscan kale
Heavy Handed IPA…fall seasonal brewed with freshly harvested hops. Since these “wet hops” have not been dried before use, they add a wonderful character found in no other beer.

Coffee & Spice Crusted Dry 35 Day Dry Aged Sirloin

potato and onion gratin, fait gras, haricot vert

 Red Eye Baltic Porter …starts with a 9.3% ABV Imperial Baltic porter recipe that can easily stand on its own. Then we loaded it up with 100% organic, fair trade coffee beans that were roasted about 3 miles from the brewery. The result is a wonderfully rich chocolate and coffee aroma, with nice coffee and black malt flavor, and a soft clean finish

Apple Tarte Tatin

salted caramel ice cream, caramelized puff pastry

Avalon…A spiced ale brewed with pressed apples grown right here in Illinois. The apples and a special blend of mulling spices are introduced into the mashing process. Champagne yeast is then used to create a highly carbonated beer with fruity undertones and a clean, crisp finish

New Holland Beer Dinner

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Golden Cap…saison soft, golden beer with a subtle peppery fermentation profile. 

Dinner

Spicy Salmon Gravlox

 preserved bok choy, smoked potato pancake, citrus crème fraiche

Mad Hatter…india pale ale that is well balanced beer in terms of aromatics, bitterness and malty-sweetness. 

18 Day Dry Aged Tenderloin Medallions

heirloom tomatoes & roasted garlic risotto with black pepper malt syrup

Sundog…classic representation of amber ale’s feature of caramel malt (barley.) 

Braised Benton Bacon

celery root puree, grilled onions, mushroom wontons

Charkoota Rye…smoke-forward body is balanced with tones of deep molasses and caramel, with a crisp, clean lager finish. 

Gorgonzola cheesecake

balsamic concord grape jam

Dragon’s Milk…Oak-aged Strong Ale/stout:  Bourbon barrels lend their help to this deliciously balanced beer.  Oak, bourbon, vanilla, roast, chocolate and coffee tones lurk beneath the surface.  Extremely versatile, it can lend an earthy complement for mushrooms, beef, or balsamic, and it can also be a hearty counter to big, rich flavors like bleu cheese.

Goose Island Beer Dinner

Reception

Chef Ricks Selection Of Nibbles

Sofie…belgian style ale featuring citrus peal, vanilla, tart and dry

Dinner

Baked Lobster & Chestnuts

shallot confit & 3 sisters coarse cornmeal, roasted corn 

Matilda…belgian style ale with a slightly fruity aroma, spicy yeast flavor

Chicken Liver and Crispy Rabbit Ears

cavetelli pasta, poached egg, manchego cheese

Juliet…belgian style ale fermented with wild yeasts and blackberries

Braised Dietzler Farm Beef Shank

parsnip puree, curry, haricot vert & red wine celery slaw

Pere Jacques…fruity malty ale, complex flavor

Cherry Bread Pudding

bourbon walnut caramel, vanilla bean ice cream

 Imperial Brown Goose…strong bourbon barrel aged ale, this ale is rich and full flavored with

 notes of wood, vanilla, and raisin

There is no denying I love beer, so its only natural to celebrate my passion of brewing beer, drinking beer and cooking with all of you.  I will kick off OctoBeer Fest at David Burke Primehouse with a homebrew dinner.  I know other chefs have helped “make” a beer for a dinner, but I truely have brewed every beer featured at my homebrew dinner.  I think that this unique approach of making not only the food but also the beverages will make for a remarkable dinner.  The following three days I leave the brewing to the pros and I’ll stay in the kitchen. 

Daily beer reception from 630-7:15 pm 

Dinner starts at 7:30 pm 

4 course meal costs 55 per person plus tax and gratuity Purchase 2 separate dinners for $95 or Purchase all 16 courses (all four seperate dinners) $175

Sunday October 4

Chef Ricks Homebrew Dinner

Reception Beers

Belgian Blond

snow white head, gold color, spice, malt hops & orange essence

Stoned Wheat

seedling farm peach infused wheat beer, zesty aroma 

Dinner Beers

Working Man Champagne

whipped cream head, golden body, toasted bread aroma, malt, fruits & spicy hops

I-PAC (India Pale Ale With Chamomile)

 malt, toffee, caramel apples and floral hops that finish with chamomile

2 Wood Ale

reddish brown color, sweet aroma, caramel, toasted malt & velvety mouth feel,

started with birch syrup &  finished with african mahogany

Mr. Peabody Porter

rich, full bodied, bittersweet, chocolate & coffee

Monday October 5

Two Brothers, Warrenville, Illinois

 http://www.twobrosbrew.com/

Tuesday October 6

New Holland Brewery, Holland Michigan

http://www.newhollandbrew.com/

Wednesday October 7

Goose Island, Chicago, Illinois

http://www.gooseisland.com/