What:    Gospel Lunch Cruise
When: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008 12-2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 12-2 p.m.
Where:   Spirit of Chicago (boards at 11 a.m. at Navy Pier)
600 E. Grand Ave.
866.211.3804
www.spiritofchicago.com

Okay, this definitely slides on the brunch scale as being categorically more lunch than brunch, but it’s cheaper than the House of Blues gospel brunch and is on a boat, so maybe one Saturday without a benedict can suffice. The cruise, buffet, and performance by the lovely Tecora Rogers and the Chicago Spirituals costs $38.90 per person, with reservations required. Inspiration is free — take it or leave it.

For more information on the spirit sessions on the Spirit cruise, click here.

— Carly Fisher

Whether you’re a Cubs fan, a proud Chicagoan, or could care less about either and just want breakfast (I speak for myself here), Ann Sather is offering a Wisconsin-free sausage, beer and cheese omelet with products from the good ol’ state of Illinois for $9.95 on Cubs game days against Milwaukee. The omelet is available at the 909 W. Belmont Ave. location in Wrigleyville (naturally) on these dates:

Sept. 18, 2008   7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sept. 26, 2008   7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sept. 27, 2008   7 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Sept. 28, 2008   7 a.m. – 2 p.m.

— Carly Fisher

Imagine, if you will, that it is Saturday morning. You lazily wake up maybe an hour later than your alarm usually goes off, and turn to the love of your life, while listening to the pitter patter of raindrops outside. You gently kiss your lover on the forehead and step outside your boudoir to find that the pitter patter of raindrops is actually coming from your dining room, forming a growing cesspool of rainwater combined with bits of drywall underneath where your ceiling used to be — despite having informed your landlord of this situation at least four times. At least that was my Saturday. Read the rest of this entry »

Kiss your grandma and take her out for brunch because damn it, she deserves it!

Perennial has finally gotten with the program and now offers brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. This weekend marks their brunch premiere on Sept. 13 from 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. The restaurant works a seasonally-inspired gourmet menu with items like smoked-salmon-and-potato tart and “legs” benedict, made with duck leg confit, as well as alcohol-laden coffee drinks such as the hazelnut brunch daiquiri. Yum.

Not sure why things are still advertised as $9.95, but if a brunch buffet downtown is figuratively under $10, then why the hell not? Emerald Loop runs their breakfast buffet Saturday and Sundays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. with $6 bloody marys and mimosas.

Get your dim sum on before Moon Fest in Chinatown at Phoenix on Saturday 8 a.m.-3 p.m at 2131 S. Archer Ave. Ste. 2.

Lest we forget, Victory Gardens Theatre is having their free preview brunch, which should be fun for the whole family. Unless, of course, you don’t have a family. And in that case, try to scope out any parents without partners while chowing down on free brunch.

— Carly Fisher

Icosium Kafe
2433 N. Clark St.
Chicago, IL 60640
773.404.1300
www.icosiumkafe.com

Despite a prime location on Clark Street, the Algerian hole-in-the-wall Icosium Kafe is fairly easy to overlook. Having maintained street residency for years, its sustainability is a bit of a paradox being Lincoln Park’s most obvious secret. The smaller sized cafe doesn’t draw in huge lines like Orange or M.Henry — which I selfishly consider a good thing — but it has the type of specialty gourmet crepes on par with the notable brunch spots that exceed your average jam-in-a-flapjack attempt at global influence.

Open breakfast through dinner with a crepe-only menu, brunch is a relative time here. Then again, brunch versatility is an incentive for those weekday and evening brunch cravings, or those who simply decided to get  their ass out of bed an hour too late for the common 2-3 p.m. kitchen deadline. But let’s be honest here: you came here to know about the food, which I am comfortable with vouching for this fine establishment. Unfortunately, my photo skills don’t do it justice, so bear with me.

First thing’s first: any savory crepe must be paired with Halal Merguez, or Algerian lamb sausage. This is not a restaurant requirement but an edict of personal preference. Vegetarians are naturally exempt, but definitely missing out on some kind of wonderful. Second, it’s important to note that prices here have the ability to be either really cheap or really expensive, and thus categorized accordingly.

At the bare minimum of simply ordering a crepe, your tab may range from $6.95 for most sweet crepes served with whipped cream, such as the Crepe LaBella with banana, Belgian chocolate, toasted almonds and coconut, and $8.50 for savory crepes served with soup, such as the Icosium Crepe with roasted peppers, arugula, goat cheese, caramelized onion, Roma tomatoes, pine nuts, roasted garlic and baby spinach. But, as soon as you start tacking on $2.99 for Halal Merguez on your Crepe Marrakech, and then another $2.95 for Turkish coffee, you might walk out spending $15 plus tax and tip. But is it worth it? Hell yes.

In addition to badass crepes, service is attentive and friendly. And another brunch bonus: carry-out and delivery! Considering the rough parking sitch in Lincoln Park for motorists and the generally inconvenient cross-city commute for public transit riders, Icosium’s delivery is a blessing — and on a pretty wide scale. The Clark location delivers as far west as Western (and says they might even be willing to make an exception for lil’ ol’ me who lives one block west of the cut off line). Sure, you might be willing to walk a few extra blocks when it’s nice out, but are you really going to venture out in below freezing temperatures for an Icosium crepe with Halal Merguaz? Well, probably.

— Carly Fisher

If you’re feeling down about summer dying down, join Sepia and Seedling for their Fruits from the Farm Brunch on Sunday, Sept. 7 from 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.  The prix-fixe four-course menu features items made wth most likely whatever they wiped out of the remainder of summer produce.

Who needs to get hammered Friday and Saturday night when you have the whole morning to fill with that bottle buzz? From 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sept. 6-7, enjoy $10 bottomless bloody marys and mimosas at Broadway Cellars‘ weekend brunch.

Or you can do both. Whatever. Kill two birds with one stone by boozin’ and brunchin’ at the same place. Ginger’s Ale House opens bright and early Saturdays and Sundays with brunch starting as soon as 6:30 a.m. (depending on which soccer game is playing), and rounding out somewhere around 2 p.m., or when they feel like it.

Have an extra $75 laying around? The Signature Room‘s executive chef Patrick Sheerin is hosting another Garden Fresh Weekend on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 10:30 a.m. The program consists of shopping alongside Sheerin at the Green City Market before heading back to the Signature Room for a cooking demonstration, and, of course, eating the fruits of your labor (and maybe champagne). NOTE: If you plan on going this, I would love to be your new best friend.

— Carly Fisher

What:     Victory Gardens Preview Brunch
When:    Sunday, Sept. 14 2008, 11:00 a.m.
Where:   Victory Gardens Theater
               2433 N. Lincoln Ave.
               773.871.3000
               www.victorygardens.org

FREE, FREE, FREE! Free brunch, chair massages, and a preview of the Victory Garden’s forthcoming play season. Did I mention free brunch and chair massages? And of course, the catch: it’s part of their Family Saturday series — the key word here being “family.” Those with children ages four and up are encouraged to come, with theater games and crafts for the kiddies with Victory Gardens “educational staff” i.e. babysitters, and a free preview for parents/non-parents who want free brunch.

RSVP to events@victorygardens.org or 773.549.5788 x2167.

— Carly Fisher

What:     Fruits from the Farm Brunch
When:    Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Where:   Sepia
123 N. Jefferson St.
312.441.1920
www.sepiachicago.com

In case you didn’t notice the 20-something degree drop in the past 24 hours, summer is on the way out. Take advantage of what’s left of the season’s produce at the Fruits from the Farm Brunch hosted by Sepia and Seedling. The $25 (minus tax/gratuity) four-course prix-fixe brunch-a-thon includes:

Round one
Assorted pastries

Round two
Melon soup
-or-
Fruit bowl with ricotta chantilly

Round three
Souffle pancake with roasted apples
-or-
Applewood smoked bacon and peach sandwich
with brioche and duck fat potatoes
-or-
Amish chicken breast with pear, arugula, and
cipollini onions
-or-
Eggs benedict with pork belly, apricot glaze, and
mustard hollandaise

Round four
Chocolate and fruit
Coffee and tea

And what brunch is complete without a little boozin’? If you’ve got an extra dough for a drink or three, three specialty cocktails – made with fresh fruits from Seedling, of course – are available for the event, including:

The Farmhand’s Daquiri Rhum Ron Clement VSOP, peach and apricot puree, pure sugar cane syrup, Gilka caraway seed liqueur, fresh lime juice

Watermelon Caipiroska Muddled watermelon and limes, organic agave nectar, organic Square One cucumber vodka

Cantaloupe Cooler Cantaloupe puree, Northshore Aquavit, honey, lemon juice, soda

Seating is limited and bound to sell out, so it’s recommended you make a reservation by calling 312-441-1920.

— Carly Fisher

Gapers Block reports that Orange’s second location is scheduled to close mid-September due to a jump in the new lease price.  Unsurprising considering the off-set South Loop location is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it find for anyone not purposefully finding it, and certainly not a tourist hotspot as it’s located adjacent to the weekend-desolate Printer’s Row, thus leaving only the empty-pocketed Depaul/Columbia student population to make up weekend brunch profits. No worries, the flagship store on Clark and Belmont and the third Roscoe Village franchise will soon be joined with a reported Clark and Fullerton location.

– Carly Fisher