Fox and Obel hosts a free tasting of Tallgrass Beef, “the new health food,” from 5-7:30 PM this Friday. Mark De Moss of Tallgrass Beef will be on hand to explain the benefits of grass-fed beef, which in the last year has made headlines from the New York Times to the Chicago Sun-Times for its sustainability and superior taste.

Bastille Day is cause enough for celebration at several local restaurants this weekend, though commemoration of the French revolution may well get lost amid all the live music and champagne (especially if you try to hit multiple events):

  • Marché starts off a day early with a Bastille Day Garden Party on its patio from 6-8 PM on Friday. Champagne, martinis, and an appetizer buffet (plus the special ambiance created by servers dressed as can-can dancers and French maids) will run you $45 per person; reservations are required.
  • Pops for Champagne celebrates on Saturday from 3-6 PM with a French sparkling wine and champagne festival in the courtyard of Tree Studios (behind the Pops space), featuring live music. A selection of French cheeses and bistro-style small plates will accompany a tasting of dozens of French sparklers. Entrance is $40 at the door.
  • From 2-4 PM on Saturday, Bistro 110 hosts an Alliance Francaise reception featuring an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and French songs by cabaret singer Claudia Hommel. The cost is $15, and the bistro is also offering a dinner special: all entrees will be $17.89 (the year the Bastille was stormed).
  • Saturday evening, Cyrano’s Bistrot will have live music by Chicago violinist Jovan Mihailovic to accompany a $40 four-course prix fixe dinner.

 

Monday at 6:30, world-renowned pianist Lang Lang performs at a Republic Pan Asian Restaurant & Lounge benefit dinner for Children’s Memorial Hospital. At 25, the acclaimed musician has a solid 22 years of experience under his belt, not to mention a Golden Globe for his solos in the score of The Painted Veil and his name on a line of Steinway pianos designed for children. A $200 ticket gets you access to the second floor, where Lang Lang will perform and a 5-course dinner will be served; for $80 you can attend the cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception on the first floor while watching a live telecast of the events upstairs.

Oyster Fest at Fiddlehead Cafe begins at 6 PM Wednesday on the cafe’s outdoor patio. Fresh oysters will be available a la carte or as part of a $38 four-course prix fixe menu featuring oysters poached in champagne and the chef’s version of Oysters Rockefeller. Reservations are required.

Also on Wednesday, the Japan America Society of Chicago hosts a presentation and book signing of The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy with author Sasha Issenberg from 6-8:30 PM. Sushi, appetizers, and drinks from Kamehachi will be served; tickets are $30 for non-members, $20 for members.