February: National Hot Breakfast Month

Did you know February is National Hot Breakfast Month? What a better way to celebrate than by indulging in the new hot breakfast at Everest Burger?

Everest Burger, a better burger restaurant in Glencoe, recently started offering a hot breakfast as part of its efforts to make positive changes in 2012. Like everything else at the restaurant, Everest Burger’s breakfast has all organic ingredients and is made on-site. The breakfast menu offers something for unique dietary needs from vegetarian to vegan to gluten-free.

The hot breakfast offerings at Everest Burger include the Breakfast Burrito ($7.95): warm, flour tortilla filled with beef chorizo, black beans, scrambled eggs and cotija cheese; the Everest Waffle ($8.95): a home-made Belgian waffle with choice of strawberries, bananas or blueberries; Blueberry Pancakes ($9.9): three fluffy buttermilk or gluten-free buckwheat pancakes cooked with fresh blueberries; Everest Pancakes ($10.95): three fluffy buttermilk or gluten-free buckwheat pancakes cooked with shredded carrots, Granny Smith apples and raisins, and served with a side of plain yogurt; and a variety of omelets, all starting at $10.95.

Everest Burger also serves delicious gourmet coffee and has WiFi available, making it a great place to work away from home or the office.  Take the time to get up a little earlier this month and try out some of the great hot breakfast offerings from Everest Burger.

Everest Burger 2.0, new and improved for 2012

Most restaurateurs would agree that any new concept should be fine-tuned during its first year as it climbs up the learning curve and gets to know its customers. This wisdom has not bypassed Mark and Margarita Challenger, owners of Everest Burger, located at 91 Green Bay Rd. in Glencoe, Ill. (847-242-0909). This "better burger" joint, which opened in February 2011, is located on the Winnetka/Glencoe border in the North Shore area of Chicago. The owners are an engaging couple who also own the very popular Guanajuato Contemporary Mexican and Tequila Bar a few doors down from Everest Burger. They have made several key changes during 2011 and the customers couldn’t be more pleased.

"We’ve learned a lot during our first year at Everest Burger," said Mark, "and we’ve made some significant changes that will better serve our customers. We’ve moved to a different supplier of beef, changed some of our ingredients, added new recipes, changed our menu presentation, and moved to full table service because that’s what our customers want. We’ve also started daily breakfast service." The core mission of Everest Burger has not changed, however. "Our goal still remains to serve fresh, healthy food that our guests will find to be a delicious, intelligent alternative to typical burger joint fare," he says.

The beef is juicier and richer tasting
The first thing the Challengers did was to review their choice of all-natural beef. "We originally chose a Piedmontese beef that is a very lean, healthy, all-natural product that contains no hormones, additives or antibiotics," said Mark. "It’s a great product, but we found that it was simply too lean to please our customers tastes—they are used to richer beef. What was missing was the robust flavor that can be found in beef that has a higher fat content." So the Challengers spent several months researching other beef suppliers and eventually chose Missouri-based Rain Crow Ranch.

"This company brings to Everest Burger all of the qualities we look for," said Mark. "The beef is still all-natural, grass-fed and free of any hormones, additives and antibiotics. It’s also raised in the most cattle-friendly way possible. The difference is that the beef is from Angus cattle and delivers a heartier flavor experience. Our burgers are now juicer, moister and more flavorful than before and our customers love them. So do our kids." Everest Burger still grinds its beef in-house and the process has been improved for better texture. By grinding them in-house we can be assured that we are using the exact cuts of beef that we want. When you buy a pre-ground product as most burger restaurants do, you cannot be assured you are getting the quality you want.'

The burgers are now larger and the pricing is also simpler. The regular sized Everest Burger served with fries ($9.95) has been increased from 4 ounces to 5 ounces. The "big and juicy" burger (8 ounces) is also available at $12.95. Each burger recipe is priced the same no matter if the guest chooses grass-fed beef, free-range chicken or turkey, or organic vegetarian (black bean, Portobello or walnut). However, there is a $3 up-charge for choosing Wild Alaskan Salmon, which is flown in from Alaska. All burgers now come with choice of homemade French Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Carrot Sticks or Coleslaw included in the price.

There are some other nice changes to the menu. The all grass-fed beef hot dogs are now served Chicago-style, with mustard, onion, tomato, celery salt, sweet pickle relish, sport peppers and a pickle spear. Sweet potato fries and homemade coleslaw are new options and there are also weekly specials like the Glencoe Burger (arugula, olive oil mayonnaise, tomato, and onion, ketchup and served on a house-made sesame bun) and the Great Gringo Burger (Corona beer marinated beef served with chipotle mayonnaise, tomato, ketchup, lettuce and grilled jalapenos). All condiments and produce are organic. On the dessert side, Everest Burger’s frozen yogurt is creamier than ever and they use real organic yogurt from Wisconsin in the recipe, unlike most other frozen yogurt that is made from powder.

The kids menu continues to be popular and there are several improvements. Pasta and meatballs are now available as well as meatball sliders. The kids’ meals are served in delightful, artistic cardboard cars and trucks.
Another big change has involved the menu presentation. "When our guests walk in, they view our large menu board on the wall behind the front counter," said Mark. "It lists all of our food choices, including our special recipes. The problem we had is that, originally, the menu board contained all text and no photos. We found that our customers had a hard time visualizing our burger creations and so ordering was too difficult. We’ve now designed and installed a brand new menu board, complete with color photos of the signature items. It’s bright and very appealing and ordering is much easier."
To make ordering and overall service even better, Everest Burger has added full table service and free WiFi. Guests can now be seated in the dining room and a server will give them all of the service they need, including explanations of the menu items. "It’s a better experience for the customers and it gives us more opportunity to chat with them and get to know them so we can continue to make them happy. That’s what a neighborhood restaurant should be," said Mark. "People on the go can still order at the counter and then sit down; the food will be brought to them, ready to eat in the dining room or packaged for takeout."

Everest Burger’s bakery becomes a central focus
The restaurant has always prided itself on its homemade baked goods. From the beginning, we’ve baked our burger buns from scratch, in-house," said Margarita. "We started out offering healthy, whole wheat buns that were delicious. But our customers told us they didn’t absorb the burger’s juices as readily as lighter white buns and the burgers were a bit too messy for some. After months of testing, we’ve designed a new, bigger burger bun, made from organic whole wheat white and unbleached flour. We didn’t sacrifice any flavor, though—they’re tastier than before. It’s a very good improvement." For those who prefer, Everest Burger still offers its sesame, whole wheat, vegan and gluten-free buns. The gluten-free buns are made from rice flour, buckwheat and flaxseed. Margarita tested several recipes before choosing this one.

New Breakfast Service
The bakery is also now the impetus for Everest Burger’s new breakfast service.
"Everest Burger, with its free parking, is a convenient stop for breakfast and we’re now offering some hearty breakfast entrées as well as a variety of wonderful pastries that are baked on premises," said Margarita. All egg dishes are prepared with free-range, organic eggs. The turkey bacon and sausage are hormone-free. Organic flour is used in the pancakes and waffles.
"Together with our fresh juices and our new espresso and cappuccino service—using excellent coffee, I might add—we have become an attractive spot for people who want to get off to a great morning start." Everest Burger’s breakfast service begins at 8 a.m.

The breakfast menu feature such items as the Breakfast Burrito, warm, flour tortilla filled with beef chorizo, black beans, scrambled eggs and cotija cheese ($7.95); the Everest Waffle, a home-made Belgian waffle with choice of strawberries, bananas or blueberries ($8.95); Blueberry Pancakes, three fluffy buttermilk or gluten-free buckwheat pancakes cooked with fresh blueberries ($9.95); Everest Pancakes, three fluffy buttermilk or gluten-free buckwheat pancakes cooked with shredded carrots, Granny Smith apples and raisins, and served with a side of plain yogurt ($10.95).

Omelette choices include the Nova Lox Omelette, three eggs, lox, onion, tomatoes and cream cheese; Steak Omelette, three eggs, steak, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion and sharp cheddar cheese; Everest Omelette, three eggs with a wonderful mix of spinach, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and avocado, and the Mediterranean Omelette, three eggs, roasted sweet bell pepper, tomatoes, Kalamata olives, parsley, fresh garlic, scallions and feta cheese. All omelettes start at $10.95.
The bakery and coffee service are open all day and there are plenty of freshly baked cookies, cupcakes, muffins and brownies to choose from.

The new and improved Everest Burger is just another step for the Challengers as they continue to refine their business and become increasingly involved in their community. "We love this area and we’ve been fortunate to have sponsored some local sports teams and other programs, said Mark. "We hope the community will continue to support us as well and, if they weren’t convinced their first time at Everest Burger, they should come back and give Everest Burger another try. We think they will be very pleased with version 2.0. We want to hear from our guests about what we’re doing right and how we can make our restaurant the place to go for delicious, healthy burgers, great breakfast and much more."

About Everest Burger
Everest Burger is a better burger restaurant and bakery located at 91 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe, Ill. The restaurant and bakery is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, contact Everest Burger at (847) 242-0909 or online at www.everestburger.com.

Celebrate National Hamburger Day Today (and everyday)

The burger, America’s quintessential comfort food, can be enjoyed in an impossibly endless number of ways. So, we don’t find it unusual that some say December 21 is National Hamburger Day. Others say National Hamburger Day is July 28 and the burger also gets a whole month of celebration in May.

Regardless, hamburgers are a national past time enjoyed by everyone in the US and we’re lucky to have so many great venues to savor these juicy treats in Chicagoland.

Here are our picks for some of the area’s finest:



Prairie Grass Cafe's incredible sirloin burger

Chicago Magazine’s #1 Sirloin Burger ($15) at Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, IL 60062; 847205-4433) is one of our favorites. This thick, juicy burger is made with delicious Tallgrass sirloin beef charbroiled with Amish blue cheese topping. This burger is served without a bun so you can focus all your attention on the incredible burger (though you can ask for one if you desire). There’s a reason it was named Chicago Magazine’s favorite burger in 2009. It’s simply incredible!

The delicious Chorizo Burger at Everest Burger

If you’re looking for variety and healthfulness with your burgers or you’re dining with someone with specific food needs, Everest Burger (91 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe, IL 60022; 847-242-0909) is the place for you. While they serve traditional hamburgers—made from all-natural prairie grass beef—they also offer a little something for everyone with burgers made of chicken, Portobello mushrooms, salmon, turkey, black beans or walnut. Everything at Everest Burger is hormone free, chemical free and steroid free. Everest Burger features homemade buns in several varieties including gluten-free buns for those with food allergies as well as traditional white and wheat. From the spicy delights of the Chorizo Burger (chorizo, tomato, ketchup and cilantro - $12.95) to the simplicity of their Base Camp Burger (lettuce, tomato, onions, blue cheese, avocado and kalamata olives - $9.25), there is an opportunity for everyone to find something they love at Everest Burger.

Fleming's amazing Prime Burger

Fleming’s PrimeSteakhouse and Wine Bar (25 E. Ohio St., Chicago IL 60611; 312-329-9463 and 960 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, IL 60069) offers a Prime Burger Bar, featuring 5 variations of excellence in burgers made with the highest quality ingredients. Their flavor combinations are unique and offer you the chance to try something new and delicious on a bun. Fleming’s Burger is $6 before 7 p.m. as part of their 5 for $6 till 7 menu and $12 after 7 p.m. These incredible burgers pair perfectly with wine from Fleming’s extensive wine offerings or one of their specialty cocktails.

If you’re looking for something smaller in the realm of burgers, we suggest the Mini Burgers ($9.25) from the Maxwell’s at the Club at the East Bank Club (500 N. Kingsbury St., Chicago, IL 60610). These delicious burgers are made with the same prime beef and served with the same toppings as the normally sized burgers, but they offer you the option of sharing or eating something a little smaller. These small burgers are served three at a time with regular French fries or sweet potato fries.

Take time to celebrate National Hamburger Day today! Whichever option you choose, we think you’ll be glad you did.

Father’s Day 2011 Specials in the Chicagoland Area

Father’s Day Brunch at Prairie Fire in Chicago

Join Prairie Fire (215 N. Clinton St., Chicago; 312-382-8300) for brunch on Father’s Day 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 19.

Prairie Fire is offering their a la carte Prairie Fire Sunday Brunch Menu beginning with warm Blueberry Lemon Coffee Cake and featuring a special Father’s Day Omelet Station, Dad’s Supreme Bloody Mary topped with a jumbo shrimp and blue cheese olives and Peekytoe Crab Benedict—two poached eggs over crab cakes, asparagus and citrus hollandaise.

Prairie Fire is also offering the regular menu at 5 p.m. along with some great Father’s Day specials including BBQ Ribs, Signature Twice-baked Potatoes and Crunch Slaw.

To make a reservation, please call Prairie Fire at (312) 382-8300.

Father’s Day Buffet at Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, Ill.

Prairie Grass Cafe (601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, Ill.; (847) 205-4433) also is offering something special for Father’s Day including a buffet menu from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $39 per adult and $15 per child (ages four-10). Reservations are required and can be made by calling Prairie Grass Cafe.

The special buffet menu features Roasted New York Strip Loin with mushroom sauce, Chef Sarah’s Fried Chicken, Creamy Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes, Chorizo Sausage with vegetables and bean ragout, Grilled Salmon with warm vegetable salad, Signature PGC Eggs Benedict, an Omelet Station, Waffles with maple syrup, Apple-wood Smoked Bacon, Chopped Greek Salad with warm feta, Creamy Vegetable Slaw and Grilled Vegetables with basil remoulade.

For dessert, the buffet offers a Dessert Crepe Station, Warm Berry Crumble, Sliced Fresh Fruit, Mini Crème Brule, Chocolate Cup Cakes and Fruit Cream Pie.

Prairie Grass Cafe also is offering a la carte dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., featuring their full menu.

Father’s Day Brunch at Fleming's With a $25 Gift for Dad, Compliments of Fleming’s

Make Father's Day especially memorable for Dad this year. Treat him to brunch or dinner at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (25 E. Ohio St., Chicago; (312) 329-9463 and 960 Milwaukee Ave., Lincolnshire, Ill.; (847) 793-0333), and Fleming’s will treat him to a $25 Dining Card to enjoy on a future occasion.*

On Sunday, June 19th, Fleming’s will be open early at 11:30 a.m. to welcome guests with an exceptional three-course brunch menu, served until 3:00 p.m. for $32.95 per guest. The regular dining menu will also be available throughout the day and evening. Reservations are strongly recommended for Father's Day.

Brunch starts with choice of appetizer including Fresh Fruit Salad with berries, melon, pineapple, sour cream and honey sauce or The Wedge with crisp iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, red onions and crumbled blue cheese. Next, indulge in a delicious entrée, choice of Mushroom, Cheddar and Filet Mignon Frittata with rösti potatoes and turkey sage sausage, Berry Stuffed French Toast with turkey sage sausage, Smoked Salmon and Toasted Bagel with sliced red onion, cream cheese, sliced tomato and fried capers, Asparagus, Swiss Cheese and Lump Crab Frittata with rösti potatoes and turkey sage sausage and Filet Benedict including sliced filet mignon on buttermilk biscuits with rösti potatoes and turkey sage sausage.

Top-off Father’s Day Brunch with choice of dessert to include Walnut Turtle Pie including homemade caramel, walnuts and chocolate baked in a chocolate pie crust, Crème Brulee with creamy Tahitian vanilla bean custard served with fresh seasonal berries and New York Style Cheesecake with graham cracker crust, blueberry sauce and white chocolate shavings.
Don’t forget to toast Dad with a special Fleming’s Father’s Day cocktail, Button Down—Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup and a dash of bitters, garnished with a lemon twist.

A children’s menu is also available
$25 Dining Card valid 06/20/11 - 07/17/11
** Excluding cocktail, tax and gratuity

Enjoy the Bistro One West Outdoor Experience this Father’s Day

The Bistro One West (1 W. Illinois St., St. Charles, Ill.; 630-444-0600) deck features a grill at which patrons can watch the proceedings and interact with the Chef Doug D‘Avico! With seating for 70-75 guests, the deck is located directly on the scenic Fox River and will be open this Father’s Day between 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

In addition to the dining room menu, the Bistro One West deck menu is available on the deck or in the bar until 7 p.m. to include a Wagyu Beef Hotdog with onions, jalapeno and yellow mustard; Smoked bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and maple-orange aioli; Meyer’s Farm Burger—choose burger sides: bacon, mushrooms, onions and cheese—cheddar, blue or Swiss; Skirt Steak with cucumber and mixed greens salad; Shrimp with Avocado Butter; and Lemon and Rosemary Chicken.

Treat Dad to something special and make your Bistro One West reservation by calling (630) 444-0600.

Treat Dad to Something Sweet at Everest Burger

Everest Burger and Bakery (91 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe, Ill; 847-242-0909) is offering Dads a sweet treat this Father’s Day! Enjoy a tasty Chocolate Papa Cupcake ($2.25) after enjoying one of Everest Burger’s delicious organic burgers such as the Chimichurri Burger, onion, cloves, cilantro, oregano and some special sauces for a spicy South American taste or the Odysseus’ Feast, lettuce, tomato, onion, kalamata olives and feta cheese grilled with olive oil for added flavor. Enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio or call in an order and take it home for the whole family!

Call Everest Burger at (847) 242-0909 to order.

Celebrate Father’s Day with Classical Spanish Music at Guanajuato
Contemporary Mexican & Tequila Bar

This Father’s Day, enjoy special dishes at Guanajuato Contemporary Mexican & Tequila Bar (73 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe, Ill; 847-242-0501! Dad will love Pollo Azteca, a grilled half-chicken hand-rubbed with a combination of Aztecan spices and charbroiled to perfection. Served with jalapeno mashed potatoes and soupora house salad! Or enjoy the best of everything with Guanajuato’s Combo Platter!

This tasty platter includes a Chile Pelleno (a classic soufflé-battered Poblano pepper) stuffed with cheese, a taco (with choice of meat) and a cheese enchilada! Enjoy delicious authentic Mexican cuisine while enjoying live music from a Classical Spanish guitarist!

Make it a Father’s Day Dad will never forget,
call (847) 242-0501.

A December to Remember - News from Kurman Communications, Inc.

We love what we do at Kurman Communications. We're proud of our clients, our work and our team.  We hope that you're following our news, but in case you missed any key stories last month, here are some links to ponder. 

A Silver Lining Foundation
12.03.10 NBC Chicago: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.03.10 Charity Happenings: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.09.10 Patch-Lake Forest/Lake Bluff: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.09.10 Patch-Orland Park: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.09.10 Patch-Evergreen Park: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.13.10 Daily Chronicle: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.13.10 TribLocal: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.16.10 Pioneer Local, Lake Zurich Courier: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.23.10 Pioneer Local, Evanston Review: A Silver Lining Foundation
12.26.10 Patch-Buffalo Grove: A Silver Lining Foundation

Bacinos / Bella Bacinos

12.04.10 Chicago Tribune, The Stew: Bella Bacinos La Grange
12.03.10 Concierge Preferred: Bella Bacinos La Grange
12.16.10 Chicago Bites: Bella Bacinos Wacker
12.19.10 Examiner.com: Bella Bacinos La Grange
12.22.10 MySuburbanLife.com: Bella Bacinos 
12.26.10 Patch-La Grange: Bella Bacinos 
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Bella Bacinos La Grange/ Wacker

Bistro One West
12.14.10 Chicago Tribune, The Stew: Bistro One West
12.15.10 My Suburban Life: Bistro One West
12.15.10 Chicago Top 100: Bistro One West
12.15.10 Kane County Chronicle: Bistro One West
12.16.10 St. Charles Patch: Bistro One West
12.19.10 Examiner.com: Bistro One West
12.27.10 Eater Chicago: Bistro One West
12.28.10 The Courier-News: Bistro One West
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Bistro One West


Chicago French Market
12.10.10 The Local Tourist: Chicago French Market
12.10.10 Elizabeth Doyle Culture Beat: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Chicago Cheap Eats Examiner: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Fulton River District Association: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Chicago Parent: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Yelp: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Concierge Preferred: Chicago French Market
12.15.10 Just Luxe: Chicago French Market
12.16.10 Crain's 10 things to do this weekend: Chicago French Market
12.16.10 Pioneer Press: Chicago French Market
12.17.10 Grub Street Chicago: Chicago French Market
12.17.10 Chicagoist: Chicago French Market
12.20.10 France-Amerique: Chicago French Market
12.21.10 Lake Forest Patch.com: Chicago French Market
12.21.10 Modern Luxury Blog: Chicago French Market
12.28.10 DineWise: Chicago French Market
12.29.10 Chicago Vegetarian Examiner: Chicago French Market
12.30.10 Wellsphere: Chicago French Market

Everest Burger 
12.16.10 ChicagoMag.com : Everest Burger

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
12.07.10 ChicagoTribune.com: Fleming's
12.28.10 Daily Herald: Fleming's
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Fleming's

Guanajuato
12.19.10 Examiner.com: Guanajuato
12.28.10 Daily Herald: Guanajuato
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Guanajuato

Restaurant Michael

12.05.10 John Mariani's Virtual Gourmet: Restaurant Michael
12.13.10 Crain's Chicago Business.com: Restaurant Michael
12.15.10 ChicagoMag.com: Restaurant Michael
12.19.10 Examiner.com: Restaurant Michael
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Restaurant Michael

Saigon Sisters

12.02.10 Medill: Saigon Sisters
12.04.10 Examiner: Saigon Sisters
12.03.10 Food Packaging Warehouse: Saigon Sisters
12.07.10 TimeOut Chicago: Saigon Sisters 
12.09.10 Newcity: Saigon Sisters
12.09.10 Newcity: Saigon Sisters
12.15.10 TimeOut Chicago: Saigon Sisters
12.17.10 Chicago Reader: Saigon Sisters
12.17.10 Eater: Saigon Sisters
12.22.10 Foodie Wannabe: Saigon Sisters 
12.22.10 Gilt City: Saigon Sisters
12.22.10 Chi-Town Chimpin': Saigon Sisters
12.22.10 Chicago Reader: Saigon Sisters
12.29.10 Chicago Tribune: Saigon Sisters
12.29.10 Chicago Journal: Saigon Sisters  

Westfield Old Orchard

12.06.10 Crain's Chicago Business: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Pioneer Press: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Chicago Breaking News: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Daily Herald: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Chicago Top 100: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Go Green, Save Earth Blog: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 American Towns: Westfield Old Orchard
12.06.10 Chicago NOW: Westfield Old Orchard
12.07.10 Grub Street Chicago: Westfield Old Orchard
12.07.10 Curbed Chicago: Westfield Old Orchard
12.08.10 World Book and News: Westfield Old Orchard
12.09.10 TribLocal/Skokie: Westfield Old Orchard
12.14.10 Chain Store Age: Westfield Old Orchard
12.15.10 News from RalphPancetta.com: Westfield Old Orchard