Good Karma Brings a Complimentary Night Stay at Crowne Plaza Chicago North Shore

After 5 p.m. next Friday, Sept. 25 only, pan-Asian restaurant Karma (510 E. Route 83, Mundelein; 847-970-6900) offers guests a complimentary one-night stay in December at the Crowne Plaza Chicago North Shore, when they spend $50 at the restaurant and present this coupon.

The complimentary night can be redeemed at the Crowne Plaza Chicago North Shore, adjacent to Karma, any night that month, including holidays. December is a month of holidays and festivities, and with budgets a little tighter this year a complimentary evening might be the perfect way to celebrate, hold a meeting or just have some fun.

Dinner reservations are required at Karma, and can be made by calling (847) 970-6900. Don't forget to bring the coupon with you!

This Week's Specials at Karma

Stop by Karma (510 E. Route 83, Mundelein, Ill.) after 5 p.m. this week, Sept. 16-20, for a culinary journey through Asia guided by Executive Chef Robert Packer. These specials are offered in addition to the restaurant's regular menu, which showcases different dishes and styles from Asia.

Begin with a Roasted Asian Pear Salad on mesclun greens, dressed in balsamic soy vinaigrette, topped with candied walnuts ($10). For the special entree of the week, indulge in Tempura Jumbo Prawns with a chipotle creme, jasmine rice and baby bok choy ($22).

Finish off by treating your sweet tooth with desert, Pomegranate Panna Cotta with macerated berries ($7).

Reservations are recommended, and can be made by calling Karma at (847)970-6900.

Three Course Prix Fixe Special at Karma this Weekend

Searching for a weekend dining deal? Look no further than pan-Asian eatery Karma (510 E. Route 83, Mundelein; 847-970-6900), which offers a special three-course prix fixe menu April 10 through April 12, in addition to the restaurant's regular menu.

The soothing sounds of the reflecting pool will serenade diners as they enjoy the starters, a choice of Miso Soup, tofu, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, scallions and roasted nori, or Karma House Salad, crisp lettuce, Napa cabbage, cucumber, daikon and carrot ginger dressing. For the entree, choose between Orange Peel Tempura Chicken, sesame jasmine rice, ginger chili cucumber salad and yuzu orange glaze; Thai Chili Beef, stir fried spiced beef tenderloin with Chinese noodles and baby bok choy, in mirin-miso beef broth; or Yellow Mango Vegetable Curry, spring vegetables tossed with coconut yellow curry, jasmine rice and kimchi. End the meal with a sweet dessert of Daily Selection of Ice Cream or Sorbet, served with fresh berries.

At only $25 per person, this is a perfect weekend dining deal. For reservations or more information, call (847) 970-6900 or visit http://www.karmachicago.com/.

Showing Off Shochu on Wayne's Weekend

NBC-5’s Wayne Johnson was kind enough to invite Shochu Executive Chef/Partner Josh Hansen to NBC this morning to demonstrate how to make grilled small plate dishes featured at Shochu. Wayne’s recent visits to Shochu inspired him to host a dinner party featuring grilled small plates, and he enlisted Josh to share his knowledge on Wayne's Weekend. Chef Josh demonstrated two yakitori, or grilled, skewers: bacon wrapped quail and shrimp with Asian pear. A thunderstorm may have ravaged Chicago last night, but this morning it was nice enough to have the segment outside on the Plaza!

In case you missed the segment, you can read more about it here.

This was Chef Josh’s second TV segment of the week! Shochu’s television star also appeared on WGN-TV’s noon news Lunchbreak segment on Monday, June 2, to demonstrate grilled skirt steak lettuce wraps and the shrimp with Asian pear yakitori.

Shochu is located at 3313 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60657. Reservations can be made by calling (773) 348-3313. Please visit the Shochu Web site at http://www.shochuchicago.com/.

Save the Girls: A Silver Lining Foundation Is Looking For Junior Board Members

Join the Junior Board of A Silver Lining Foundation at Enoteca Piattini, 934 W. Webster Avenue in Chicago, on Thursday, May 29, from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. as they host “Save the Girls,” a social and networking event which will raise money to help sponsor no cost mammograms for the uninsured and to promote the early detection of breast cancer. The evening features a selection of Italian tastes, including wine, beer and appetizers. Advance tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.asilverliningfoundation.org/tickets, with $30 admission at the door. At the event, t-shirts will be available with a donation of $10 or more.

Launched in 2002 by Dr. Sandy Goldberg, a breast cancer survivor, A Silver Lining Foundation (ASLF) provides the underinsured and uninsured with information concerning cancer resources, treatment options and support services. All proceeds from the event go to ASLF's unique Buy A Mom A Mammogram™ program, which funds screening mammograms at The University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, South Shore Hospital in Chicago, and Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights to qualifying women in a timely, dignified and respectful fashion. Since the Buy A Mom A Mammogram™ program's inception in 2006, ASLF has provided more than 2,000 women with information about and access to no cost screening mammograms. In response to the growing number of women needing follow up due to a possible abnormality, the foundation began funding diagnostic testing in 2007.

Sneak Peek: Shochu food photos now available from Kurman Communications.

Photo credit: Cindy Kurman

We've been getting a ton of requests for Shochu photos so I'm happy to announce that I photographed the food and room yesterday. The photos are great! Everyone can pick up high resolution photos at our site, http://kurman.mycapture.com/. Or, you can give us a call at 312-651-9000. Shochu is an American lounge and restaurant featuring the popular liquor from Japan by the same name, shochu. Conveniently located at 3313 N. Clark in Wrigleyville, Shochu (pronounced show-chew) is offering reasonably priced and great tasting small plated foods with an Asian-edge. There's a full bar with a lot of creative Shochu based cocktails as well as a terrific beer and wine list. For information and reservations call 773-348-3313 or visit www.shochuchicago.com). Check out my photos!