ChicaGourmets!
and
211 North Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park
www.hemmingwaysbistro.com
and
Owners Chef Chris & Lucia Ala
Invite you to a
Fall Harvest Luncheon
Saturday, October 16, 2004
1:00 PM
ChicaGourmets! Hosts:
Don Newcomb & Jim Price
There are two things guests always remember after dining at Hemmingway's Bistro in historic Oak Park: the fabulous French cuisine and the owners, Chef Chris Ala and his wife, Lucia. The bistro is truly a labor of love for this couple, who give real meaning to the "mom and pop" idea of restaurant ownership.
Since their ultra-romantic and tumultuous chance meeting in a hurricane in St. John (where Chef Chris was working at the time and Lucia was vacationing) they have worked hard together to make Chris' dream of owning his own restaurant a reality.
Hemmingway's Bistro opened in June 2002. It is located in the heart of Historic Oak Park, well known for homes of Frank Lloyd Wright and the Hemingway Museum, directly across the street from the restaurant. Before the luncheon, you might want to visit these places, or to stop by the Oak Park Farmers' Market on Lake Street, just west of Ridgeland Avenue.
Chef Ala and Lucia wanted the restaurant to convey Paris in the 1930s. Guests enter through cherry French doors and a 15-foot zinc bar beckons you to stop and enjoy a cocktail. The dining room is bright and lively.
Chef Ala's dedication to quality is unsurpassed. He is the second youngest chef to ever become a Certified Executive Chef (CEC). "I love being in the kitchen," he explains. "I love slow food. I think people should take time to slow down and enjoy food and conversation. I am not about vertical food. I love braised foods, sausage pâtés... I don't think you need more than three or four things happening on one plate. Too many flavor profiles mean trouble for the palate."
Price is $45.00 per person for ChicaGourmets! members, or $55.00 for non-members, inclusive of tax and gratuity.
Please make checks payable to ChicaGourmets!
Your check is your reservation and must be received by October 11th, 2004. No refunds after October 11th, 2004.
We urge you to reserve today. Most ChicaGourmets! events sell out before the deadline.
Reserve your place now. Contact ChicaGourmets! at
reservations@chicagourmets.com,
or by mail at
ChicaGourmets!, Mail Boxes Etc. PMB 347, 47 W. Division St, Chicago, IL
Chef-Owner Chris Ala's
Fall Harvest Luncheon Menu
Reception 1:00 P.M.
Chef's Selection of Hot and Cold Hors d'oeuvres
Rustico Nino Franco N.V.
Lunch 1:45 P.M.
Assiette de Charcuterie
(Assortment of house made sausage pâtés)
Les combes Mezieres costiers de Nimes "2002"
Pan Roasted Diver Scallops
White truffle creamed Indiana corn
Maison Nicolas Chardonnay "2001"
Pecan-dusted Pork Medallion "Forestière"
Michigan Mushroom Medley & Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Maison Nicolas Cabernet Sauvignon "2002"
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Almond Brittle
Raspberry Coulis
Coffee and Tea Service